Data Breach

A data breach happens when sensitive information gets accessed or stolen without the knowledge or consent of whoever actually owns it, a security violation that exposes an organization’s confidential data. It’s become a fairly common problem at companies that don’t keep their data properly secured.

What gets exposed can vary widely: customer databases, credit card details, security documents, employee records, anything sensitive that wasn’t locked down well enough.

Breaches tend to happen for a handful of common reasons:

• Hacking or malware
• Lost portable devices
• Unintended disclosure
• Insider leaks
• Stationary data loss
• Payment card fraud
• Physical loss
• Other causes