What to Do After a Data Breach

The idea of your personally identifiable information being swept up in a data breach sounds terrifying, but in today’s world, security isn’t perfect and it’s bound to happen at one point or another. However, take a breath, as a data breach isn’t the end of the world, even if your personal information is exposed in the process.

We’re going to explain exactly what is a data breach and what to do after a data breach if your information has been compromised. By immediately taking the correct actions, you can reduce the change of your data being used for malicious purposes.

What Is a Data Breach?

A data breach occurs when information is taken or stolen without proper authorization. In the digital world, these break-ins occur when malicious individuals illegally gain access to computer systems.

Data breaches can be the result of poor data security, but even the most secure systems can become compromised. When a data breach occurs, a malicious individual or group of individuals are usually able to exploit a software vulnerability or human error.

In the United States, businesses are required to disclose data breaches once they are discovered, and have up to 90 days to do so. This is a much longer allowance than in many other countries, such as the UK where breaches must be reported within 72 hours.

What Can Be Exposed in a Data Breach?

Nearly any type of sensitive data can be exposed in a data breach including usernames, passwords, emails address, physical addresses, phone numbers, birth dates and other forms of user data relevant to the platform.

The information that is exposed will depend on what information you have provided the breached company, as well as the particular system which has been compromised.

More serious data breaches that can lead to identity theft can involve your driver’s license number, credit card information, bank account number, private medical information, or your Social Security number (SSN).

No matter what type of information is exposed in a breach, the most critical factor is that you respond promptly to get your stolen information under control.

How Do You Protect Yourself After a Data Breach?

A data breach can feel overwhelming, but we are going to take you through five essential steps to take if you have been notified of a security breach to ensure that your identity and information remains secure.

1. Figure Out What Information Has Been Compromised

The most important reaction you should have to any data breach is to first find out what information has been stolen. When you are notified by a company that their system(s) have been compromised, the company should state exactly what data was accessed. If not, it is critical to reach out to the company and ask what information of yours is at risk.

Less sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, email addresses, phone numbers, birthdays and physical addresses, require less action than if your Social Security number or medical information has been accessed. We’ll discuss how to address each of these bits of information shortly, but first you need to understand what has been stolen.

2. Increase Your Digital Security

Just as if your house was robbed, one of the first actions to take is to beef up your online security. Begin by changing your password on any platform that has been compromised; this will prevent anyone from accessing your account if your old password surfaces online.

Additionally, you’ll want to enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) on the website if that security option is available. By enabling 2FA, you need not only your password to login, but a second secure code that is generally texted to or emailed to you at the time of login.

By merely upgrading your security information on a compromised system, you can prevent any stolen passwords from being of any use to malicious individuals. The updates will also help protect you from future security breaches.

3. Change Your Compromised Information

In addition to changing your password and updating your security settings whenever a system is breached, there may be other information you’ll want to update. Essentially, if any stolen information is changeable, you’ll want to update it to prevent it being of any use to those who gain hold of it.

Obviously, we don’t recommend that you move your home if your physical address is compromised and you don’t need to change your phone number if that is exposed. If it’s information that you could have found in the White Pages a decade ago, you can probably take a breath even if it is exposed.

However, information tied to a credit card account or bank account should be changed. If you have been notified that your credit or debit card information has been compromised, it is best to call your bank or credit card company to freeze the card and order a replacement. Again, the goal here is to render any information that may have been stolen unusable.

Your driver’s license number and Social Security number can’t be changed, but we’ll go over how to keep a closer eye on that information for any possible sides of fraud or misuse.

4. Closely Monitor Your Important Accounts

If your driver’s license or Social Security number is compromised, that is a more serious breach. In these events, it is critical that you keep a close eye on your credit report as someone may attempt to open an account in your name. Obtaining a free credit report is a great place to start after any data breach notification or fraud alert.

The three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, offer subscriptions for keeping a close eye on your credit reports. These subscriptions commonly include alerts whenever new accounts are opened or your information has been used to apply for additional credit, so they can be powerful tools after a data breach.

You can also employ a credit freeze, so that your credit information is unable to be accessed. By contacting the three credit bureaus or visiting their websites, you can put a hold on your information so that anyone attempting to apply for credit will be locked out.

Just remember that you will need to unlock your information if you ever want to legitimately open new accounts and need access to your credit reports.

5. Register for Identity Theft Protection if Needed

If sensitive information, such as your Social Security number, has been compromised and someone has attempted to use it, it may not be a bad idea to register for identity theft protection services.

While expensive, these services can keep a close eye on your credit report as well as offer insurance for individuals whose information is under attack. Some top companies, such as Aura Identity Guard and IDShield, offer up to $1 million in fraud protection.

Additionally, breached companies may offer free theft protection services to affected individuals.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Michael Archambault is a senior writer with The Penny Hoarder specializing in technology.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.