2024 has seen a surge in data breaches affecting some of the world's largest companies, exposing millions of records and sparking intense discussions about cybersecurity. From healthcare giants to online ticketing platforms, it’s clear that no industry is immune. But what do these incidents mean for small and midsize businesses? The vulnerabilities that allowed these breaches are relevant to organizations of all sizes, and not addressing them could be costly.
Here’s a look at five of the most significant breaches of 2024 and how you can learn from them to protect your business.
1. National Public Data Breach
A hacking group recently claimed to have accessed 2.7 billion personal records from a public data-brokering site, leaking sensitive information such as Social Security numbers and addresses. Although questions remain about the exact scale, millions of individuals are likely affected, with portions of this data appearing on the dark web.
If you or your employees may have been exposed, consider freezing your credit temporarily to reduce the risk of identity theft. Staying vigilant about online identity protection is now more critical than ever.
2. Ticketmaster’s Customer Data Exposure
In April and May, Ticketmaster suffered a major breach that exposed the personal and financial details of over 560 million customers. Compromised information included names, emails, phone numbers, and payment details. The impact has been felt by customers who reported unauthorized transactions and instances of identity theft. This breach also escalated legal challenges for Ticketmaster’s parent company, Live Nation.
Ticketmaster’s experience serves as a powerful reminder to businesses to regularly evaluate and improve security protocols to protect customer data.
3. Change Healthcare’s Ransomware Attack
In February, a ransomware attack on Change Healthcare compromised over 145 million records, including highly sensitive medical data. As one of the largest healthcare breaches to date, it highlighted weaknesses in data protection in the healthcare sector and led many organizations to reassess their cybersecurity practices.
For your business, this is a clear signal to ensure robust protections are in place against ransomware and to regularly back up your data.
4. AT&T’s Data Compromise
In March, AT&T reported a data breach affecting approximately 73 million current and former customers. Sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, account details, and passcodes were exposed. This attack, linked to data from as far back as 2019, raises concerns about long-term data retention policies and underscores the need for regular security audits.
Even if your business doesn’t have millions of customers, cyber threats remain a serious risk. Consider proactive steps like regular security assessments and training for employees on phishing prevention and password management.
5. Dell’s Customer Portal Hack
In May, a hacker known as Menelik used a brute-force attack to access one of Dell’s client portals, exposing 49 million records, including customer names, emails, and payment information. This breach led to heightened scrutiny of Dell’s security practices and signaled to businesses the importance of strong login protocols and multi-factor authentication.
This incident underscores the necessity of securing any customer-facing systems your business uses, particularly those with sensitive data.
What Does This Mean for Your Business?
Although these breaches impacted well-known companies, small to midsize businesses are increasingly targeted. Cybercriminals recognize that many SMBs lack the same security resources as large corporations, making them prime targets. A single cyberattack could mean significant financial loss, data compromise, and damage to your reputation.
Protect Your Business with a Free Security Risk Assessment
If these stories have raised questions about your own security measures, consider this a call to action. Being proactive is key. We’re offering a FREE Security Risk Assessment to identify potential vulnerabilities in your network, help you address any gaps, and protect your business against cyber threats.
Don’t wait until a breach happens – secure your business today. Click here to schedule your 15-minute strategy session call or ping us at (330) 906-8888.