Nearly 3 billion people were affected by a recent data breach in one background check company. A big one database the compendium filled with billions of user credentials was released just last month. Customers with AT&T, ADTand countless other firms have had their sensitive data stolen by cybercriminals recently.
Data breaches appear to be on the rise. Many times, the average consumer can do little or nothing about it. Sometimes, affected individuals are not even aware that their data was part of a breach.
If you discover that you are the victim of a data breach, it means that a company that has your data has been compromised. Hackers, fraudsters, thieves and other nefarious individuals now have access to your data.
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Here’s what you can do to protect yourself:
Change your passwords
First, change the password of the account affected by the data breach. Often, there is so much data stolen that most users will have a chance to stop any unauthorized use of their account.
Yes, you’ve been told time and time again not to use the same password for multiple accounts, but we know you have. Cybercriminals can easily link to those other accounts, so go ahead and change the passwords for any secondary accounts linked to your name or username that are the same or similar to the one that was stolen.
Use two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication will stop any unauthorized access to your account, even if someone else has your password. If the service or platform in question offers two-factor authentication, it is highly recommended that you enable it.
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There are two basic types of two-factor authentication: one that sends users a text code, and one that requires the use of an authentication app—usually (but not always) on a mobile phone. Since phone numbers can be stolen and SMS messages can be intercepted, it is highly recommended that users use an authentication application. When logging into a platform after an authentication app has been enabled, a user will be prompted to open the mobile app, temporarily memorize the ever-changing code that appears on their screen, and enter it on the platform they’re trying to access .
Monitor your accounts
It’s important to know exactly which accounts on which platforms were affected in order to discern exactly what kind of information might have been stolen. Services like haveibeenpwned.com help users monitor if their account credentials were stolen in a data breach.
Even if you know which account was affected by a breach, you should double check to see if there was any cascading effect to your other accounts.
Once you find which accounts were affected, check with the company that experienced the data breach to see if they have any additional information or recommendations on what their users should do to protect themselves.
Check your credit reports
Be on the lookout for the worst-case scenario: Your identity is stolen as a result of a data breach.
It’s certainly terrifying to find a social media account compromised, and going through a platform’s process to regain access is never fun. But that ordeal pales in comparison to the headaches you’ll have if someone used your details to access your bank account or commit fraud.
It is important to monitor your credit report if there is a breach at a company that has stored relevant financial related data. You can get a completely free credit report at annualcreditreport.com. In addition, services such as Credit karma provide a free daily summary of your credit score and report information.
If you are a victim of identity theft, it is important to contact your bank and credit bureaus immediately. You will need to freeze your credit, apply for a new credit card number and even close accounts. Victims of identity theft can also report a crime at identity theft.gov.
Again, most users will likely find that they simply need to change passwords and sign up for two-factor authentication. But if you’re one of the more unfortunate victims of a data breach whose victimizer went from stealing data to stealing money, you need to be proactive and take steps to protect your finances as soon as possible. you can.