10 Myths About Data Breaches

What do you think of when you hear the word breach? Maybe a broken damn castle wall crumbling, or thieves finally breaking into the safe. Now what about data breaches? Most people have a vague, distant idea if any. IBM defines a data breach as “any security incident in which unauthorized parties access sensitive or confidential information.” Most people don’t think data breaches apply to them. That this threat only harms large firms and companies. However,  the general public should be aware of the reality of data breaches. And that starts with a debunking of common myths as shown in. We’ll do this with the help of an interactive ABC news story, “See Your Identity Pieced Together by Stolen Data.”

1. Data Breaches don’t affect everyday people.

   While hackers might be targeting big-named companies, data they steal comes from their customers, you. They want to access your personal information so they can use it to breach other accounts

2. You will always be contacted if your data is breached.

   Many data breaches are not reported to customers. Laws differ across regions and countries, so companies aren't always obligated to notify you. This leaves victims unaware and feeds into the myth of breaches being a rarity.

   
   

3. Data Breaches are rare and always publicized.

   Data Breaches are common but only high-profile companies will make the news. Your data has probably been breached at least once. In the digital story, Samantha Floreani was caught up in seven breaches and this small number surprised her.

4. There’s not that much information about me on the internet.

   Hackers can piece together small pieces of information you've left across platforms to form a larger profile. This is defined as the mosaic effect. Small bits of information combined make a large picture.

   
   

5. You’ll always be able to recognize data breach entities.

   Many of the terms & conditions we agree to without reading allow companies to share our data with third parties. We don't know these third parties by name but they know us and access our personal information. In the digital story, Troy Hunt shared that he hadn’t heard of a single company that had his data until they were breached.

6. Data breaches will only share unimportant information.

   Every data breach puts you more at risk. What starts with an email can lead them to your address, shopping habits, hobbies, and passwords. All this information combined tells hackers a lot about you.

   
   

7. Data collection rules are always strictly enforced.

   Australian Data Privacy Law expert Katherine Kemp has reviewed the laws regarding personal data vs. the actual practices in the country. She believes data enrichment laws are not being enforced.

   Kemp describes these laws as "an existential threat to businesses that are entirely disrespecting the dignity and autonomy of individuals."

   
   
   
   
   
   

8. There’s nothing you can do about data breaches.

    While you can’t control whether or not someone tries to breach your data, you can mitigate the effects. Some options include digital overhauls, browser extensions, and burner email addresses.

   
   

9. Only a few thousand accounts are breached.

   Millions of accounts are compromised during data breaches. It is an ongoing problem that continues to become more common. However, common does not equal normal.

10. Companies will always try their best to avoid data breaches.

    Many companies use "shady" business practices in order to sell user data and/or leave accounts more vulnerable to breaches. Stopping data breaches does not fall fully on the consumer. Most of the responsibility is on the companies we trust with our information.