In-depth coverage of data breach causes, consequences, and prevention tactics. These posts examine real-world breach incidents, regulatory requirements for breach notification, steps to contain and recover from breaches, and proactive measures organizations can take to reduce exposure.
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The Breach That Exposed 147 Million People — and a Broken Plan When Equifax disclosed its 2017 breach, the company technically had a data breach response plan. They had security teams, legal counsel, and a PR department. What they didn't have was a plan that actually worked under pressure.
In 2024, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reported losses exceeding $16 billion from cybercrime — and compromised credentials were the gateway for a staggering number of those incidents. Right now, billions of username-and-password combinations sit on dark web marketplaces, priced anywhere from $1 to $500 depending on what
Your Employees' Passwords Are Probably Already There In 2024, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reported over 880,000 complaints with potential losses exceeding $12.5 billion — and a significant chunk of that activity traces back to credentials and data bought and sold on the dark
In 2023, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 880,000 complaints with potential losses exceeding $12.5 billion — a 22% increase in losses from the year before. Yet the FBI estimates a massive number of cyber incidents still go unreported. That gap between what happens and
A Ransomware Attack Every 11 Seconds — and Most Victims Had No Plan When Colonial Pipeline got hit in May 2021, the company paid a $4.4 million ransom within hours. Their CEO later told a Senate committee that the decision was made under extreme pressure, without a well-rehearsed playbook. If
In 2023, MGM Resorts lost an estimated $100 million after a threat actor called a help desk, impersonated an employee found on LinkedIn, and talked their way into the network. No zero-day exploit. No nation-state tooling. Just a phone call. If you want to understand what causes a data breach,
In 2023, MGM Resorts lost an estimated $100 million after a threat actor called Scattered Spider social-engineered their way past an IT help desk — with a single phone call. That one interaction led to a ransomware attack that shut down slot machines, hotel check-ins, and digital key cards across Las
In February 2024, Change Healthcare — a subsidiary processing roughly one-third of all U.S. medical claims — was hit by the ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware group. The attack disrupted pharmacy operations nationwide for weeks, cost UnitedHealth Group an estimated $872 million in the first quarter alone, and exposed the personal health data
In February 2024, Change Healthcare — the largest medical claims processor in the United States — was hit by the ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware group. The attack disrupted billing systems for hospitals and pharmacies nationwide for weeks. UnitedHealth Group later confirmed the breach affected approximately 100 million individuals. If you think your organization
The Clock Starts the Moment You See the Ransom Note In February 2024, Change Healthcare — one of the largest health payment processors in the United States — was hit by the ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware group. The attack disrupted pharmacy operations, delayed insurance claims, and affected an estimated one-third of all Americans&
