Identifying a Data Breach Is Not Always Easy

There is always the possibility that you have been involved with a data breach and you simply have not been contacted by the affected party. Additionally, if a hacker has managed to crack a website or service without being detected, you wouldn’t be notified in any case, either. Ask yourself this question: if I were to be involved with a data breach, how would I know it, and what can I do about it? And what is my data being used for anyway?

The Value of Your Data

Your organization will always possess valuable data that hackers want to get their shady hands on. It doesn’t matter how big or small your business is, which industry you fall into, or what type of data you store; you always, always have something of value to hackers, whether it’s personal records of your employees or financial information of your clients. This is why you need to take measures to protect your data, especially your own.

Password Managers Offer Some Assistance

If you use a password manager for your business, you might have alerts set up for if someone uses a password stored in your databases. While not all solutions offer these robust features, it’s best to check if they do before you commit to other types of solutions.

Run a Credit Report or Check with Monitoring Agencies

Sometimes you might encounter bizarre charges on your credit cards or bank statements that you did not authorize. In cases like this, you might be notified by your bank that someone has used your credentials or card. Credit monitoring can also be an effective way of seeing if anyone has used your identity to open new lines of credit, like cards or accounts. If this happens, then someone for sure has your sensitive information.

Use Have I Been Pwned

Have I Been Pwned is a tool created by security expert Troy Hunt. It works like a search engine; all you do is type in your email address or phone number to see if they have been leaked online. It then returns results for data breaches you might have been involved in.

Now, the best way to ensure that your data isn’t breached is by working with cybersecurity professionals like Macro Systems. We can’t control the companies you work with, but we can help you keep your own infrastructure safe. To learn more about what we can do for your business, call us at 703-359-9211 today.