Data breaches are, unfortunately, an all too common occurrence now. Hackers are constantly working to attack banks, businesses, social media platforms, government organizations, or anything else that could hold sensitive data they could sell. Being affected by a data breach is something you have little control over, and it can leave things like your address, SSN, and credit card details exposed to thieves. But there are important steps you can take afterward to help protect yourself and reduce potential damages you suffer.
Change Your Passwords
The very first thing you should do is change your passwords for any services that were affected by the data breach. Additionally, if you use the same password for any other services (which you shouldn't; it's bad cybersecurity), you should change those as well, as hackers are likely to test that password in multiple locations. You can use a password manager to help you create and remember strong and unique passwords for all your different logins.
Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA)
You should always enable multifactor authentication on your accounts if you are able. MFA can keep accounts secure, even if a hacker stole the password by requiring a second randomly generated password to gain access. The second password is acquired through a method that only you should have access to such as:
- Text message
- Authentication app
- Security key
Check Your Bank Accounts
If any of your financial information, such as payment card or bank account details, was leaked in the breach, contact your bank to report the breach and determine any necessary precautions you will need to take. Alerting your bank can help prevent you from being held responsible for fraudulent charges. You'll want to monitor your accounts for several weeks, keeping watch for any fraudulent charges or other suspicious activity.
Freeze Your Credit
Online criminals usually steal data for the purpose of selling it on the dark web. Bad actors purchase these details off the dark web to commit fraud, such as taking out credit in someone else's name. You can prevent fraudulent credit from being taken out in your name by contacting the three major credit agencies and having each freeze your credit to protect you. You can do this right on their websites found here:
Carefully Review the Breach Notification
Review the details of the data breach that get published to understand exactly how it may impact you. Since the full scope of a data breach usually isn't known for some time, updates on the breach can often be found on the affected company's website, including:
- The type of data exposed (passwords, card numbers, etc.)
- What reparations the company is making (e.g., credit monitoring)
- Any instructions given to secure your account
Be On the Lookout for Phishing Scams
Email addresses are one of the most common things exposed in data breaches, which frequently leads to an increase in phishing attempts sent to the leaked emails. Phishing emails are getting increasingly dangerous as they get increasingly more difficult to detect. If your data is leaked in a data breach, be extra vigilant of any unexpected emails.