Many of your favorite companies have experienced data breaches within the last year. Microsoft, Facebook, Twitch, T-Mobile, the list goes on and on. But what exactly is a data breach, and what can you do about them in 2021?
The T-Mobile data breach was perhaps the biggest news in the world of data thus far in 2021. Over 50 million customers had their information exposed in the breach. That information included everything from full names, phone numbers, driver licenses, Social Security numbers, and PIN numbers. Pretty scary right? That’s a lot of extremely sensitive information that was at the mercy of hackers. Well, unfortunately, it gets even scarier.
Data Breaches in 2021
T-Mobile was far from the only major corporation impacted by a data breach in 2021. Facebook (and Instagram), Twitch, and Microsoft were all affected by massive data breaches in 2021 as well. Each of these breaches exposed the sensitive information of tens of millions of consumers. Considering the nature of the information exposed in these breaches, they have had untold effects on many consumers’ financial security. You may be wondering, “How do they have such dangerous effects?”. Well, let’s take a look at what data breaches are exactly and how dangerous they can be in 2021.
What is a Data Breach?
A data breach is when an unauthorized party somehow gets ahold of your data without your knowledge or permission. They can occur through the negligence of companies (such as the aforementioned Microsoft breach) or through the intentionally malicious actions of hackers. And what makes data breaches particularly dangerous in 2021? Well, unfortunately, businesses now seek to hoard your data. Whether they’re keeping it for marketing purposes or with the intention of selling it to a third party, they covet your data like digital gold. Meaning, if a big time corporation is hit by a data breach, tons of your personal information could be at jeopardy.
As we saw with the T-Mobile breach, all sorts of sensitive information can be accessed through consumer data. Contact info such as your name, phone number, and address (both physical and email) is just the first layer of info available to hackers. It doesn’t stop there. Driver license, Social Security, and credit card numbers can be accessed as well. Along with sensitive medical information, financial history, and even criminal background information. This information comes together to form a toxic digital stew that could jeopardize your privacy and financial security if hackers ever get a whiff of it.
The Role of Cookies in Data Breaches
Every time you visit a site, they’ll seek to store your data through the use of internet cookies. And although that makes logging into most sites easier, it can also open you up to serious digital danger. Because sadly, if that information is held by a company that’s affected by a data breach, all of a sudden your data is in the hands of hackers. Which is exactly why you should be proactive in defending your data rather than blindly trusting each and every site you visit.
Cookies are just one form of web tracker, and they certainly can contribute to putting your data privacy at risk. Instead of hoping and praying that your data isn’t compromised in a breach, start taking some simple steps to protect the privacy of you and your family. You can learn more about internet cookies here.
The Top Data Privacy Solution
So, now that you know what a data breach is and how dangerous it can be, you may be wondering what tools exist to stop them in 2021. Well, the unfortunate truth is that there’s no way to prevent data breaches entirely. Even in today’s digital age, we lack the technology to fully stop internet bad guys from getting their hands on your data from time to time. But, there are still several ways to make it more difficult for them to do so. And ways to make sure that if your data is ever exposed, you know exactly when and how. So, what are the ways you can protect against data breaches in 2021?
The top consumer data privacy service on the market is Privacy Bee. They constantly monitor your data to make sure it’s safe and will alert you if it’s ever at risk. And that’s far from the only protective service they offer! They provide several features that can help you fully customize your privacy preferences on the web and protect your family from digital danger. By allowing you to control the flow of your data on the web, Privacy Bee makes it far easier for you to avoid being compromised in a data breach. And with 24/7 365 threat monitoring, they make sure that you can quickly and easily secure your data in the event of a breach.
Privacy Bee is the Answer
With corporations greedily hoarding your data and hackers swarming to get their claws on it, it can seem like there’s no way to stay safe on the web. But fret no longer! Let Privacy Bee be your strongest ally in the fight to control your data. And let them protect you and your family from the threat of data breaches!
Start today with a 100% free privacy evaluation!
