Technology and digital tools are a hot topic on our blog, but where there is technology, there is also data… and where there is data, there will be hackers trying to steal it. Data breaches are a common thread in all industries, and to prove this, we have put together six of the most notable data breaches from 2023. We hope you can learn a thing or two from them!
T-Mobile
Early in 2023, one of the leading communications companies in the industry, T-Mobile, disclosed a data breach where cybercriminals utilized the T-Mobile API to steal data over several months. By the time the attack was discovered, over 37 million customers had their personal data compromised. A few months later, the company suffered a second breach; this double-whammy cost the business more than $100 million. Types of data stolen that would eventually be leaked online included names, billing addresses, phone numbers, and emails.
Mailchimp
Similarly, early in 2023, digital marketing firm Mailchimp found a data breach that impacted user accounts, employee data, and access credentials. This time, the culprit was a social engineering tactic, and this breach resulted in the theft of names, stored web addresses, and email addresses for affected individuals.
ChatGPT
The now-household name in AI experienced a cyberattack in March of 2023, which exposed the first and last names of users and their email addresses, as well as access to payment addresses and the last four digits of their credit card numbers. Open AI had to briefly interrupt service and take ChatGPT down to address the issue.
Yum! Brands
Ever heard of KFC, Taco Bell, or Pizza Hut? Yum! is the parent company for these major fast food chains, and it experienced a cyberattack in April of 2023. The breach only affected corporate data, but after analyzing it, it became clear that employee data was also exposed. The company had to shutter many of its stores outside the United States as a result, as well as pay a hefty fine.
Activision
Activision, a big name in the video game publishing industry, discovered a hack in February 2023, but the breach happened in December 2022. As a result of this attack, the company’s release schedule and some of its employee data was exposed. The breach was the result of an SMS phishing attack, and it was only discovered thanks to the efforts of a third-party security contractor. Some of the data included employee emails, phone numbers, salary details, and work locations.
PharMerica
PharMerica, a pharmacy provider, has the dishonor of experiencing the largest data breach for any HIPAA-covered entity in 2023. The organization reported that the personal information of 5.8 million individuals was exposed in March. The attack was conducted by a ransomware group called Money Message, and it was very sophisticated in nature. The information disclosed included names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, individual prescription information, and health insurance data.
While these are some significant examples of data breaches last year, it’s noteworthy that they can happen even to a small business like yours. Be sure to take measures to protect yourself so you don’t join these major companies in damage control mode. For more information on how to protect your business, call us today at 408-927-8700.
