Every day we hear about another data breach, more and more it is becoming a common headline for personal data being lost by a company. Working in the security industry we use these stories as a way to educate the general public and other companies on how to secure their data, what tools to use and how to avoid becoming the next big breach or having your details in the wrong hands…but when will the public as a whole learn?
Sitting in a company meeting last week, we discussed all the different breaches that had happened over the year..as the breaches were mentioned it occurred to me that someone I know has probably lost their details in every one of those breaches….but do they know their details have been lost? Have they taken any actions?
Have they stopped using that website? My guess probably not.
Have they stopped using that bank account? Again probably not.
Have they proactively gone and changed all their passwords? Maybe for some – not all!
Being in the security industry, you become more aware of what is going on and inevitably more cautious. But as data breaches become more of a common daily occurrence, are people sitting up and taking action to protect themselves?
According to a survey by Symantec, 19 people fall victim to cybercrime every minute in the UK – this goes to show that no matter how many breaches we as a nation are still failing to protect ourselves. Why is this? Is it not our job to protect our own data? Do we think the companies should be taking extra steps to look after our data and we cannot do anything? Or with the rise of social networks do we all believe that all our data is out there for all to see – so why protect it?
Maybe its because we do not see how a small piece of information such as our password or date of birth could be of such high value to a hacker who can then access our bank accounts and have a shopping spree at our own expense…
