data breach – IDefendForYou https://www.idefendhome.com Ultimate Protection for Your Digital Life Fri, 18 Oct 2024 21:53:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://idefendforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-idefend-favicon-32x32.png data breach – IDefendForYou https://www.idefendhome.com 32 32 Hack of 2.9 Billion Personal Records has Left You Exposed: What You Should Know https://idefendforyou.com/blog/identityandfinancial/biggest-data-breach-in-history/ Thu, 15 Aug 2024 17:52:44 +0000 https://idefendforyou.com/?p=7054 News of what could be the biggest data breach in U.S. history has exposed nearly 3 billion personal records of virtually every American, including you. With all the data breaches in recent years, pretty much everyone's personal data is now on the dark web. At any moment a cybercriminal can use it to commit fraud or exploit you. This is what you need to know about these data breaches and how you can protect yourself.

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  • Hack of 2.9 Billion Personal Records has Left You Exposed: What You Should Know
News of what could be the biggest data breach in U.S. history has exposed nearly 3 billion personal records of virtually every American, including you. With all the data breaches in recent years, pretty much everyone's personal data is now on the dark web. At any moment a cybercriminal can use it to commit fraud or exploit you. This is what you need to know about these data breaches and how you can protect yourself.

In this article

No longer is it a question of if but when your personal data will be compromised, and unfortunately, the worst-case scenario has officially been confirmed. In April 2024, the hacker group USDoD reportedly stole 2.9 billion personal records from National Public Data (NPD). This breach includes the full names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and phone numbers of every American. This is one of the largest data breaches ever recorded, and your personal information may now be sold on the dark web to the highest bidder.

How This Breach Affects You?

Everyone’s personal information is on the dark web or will be soon. The dark web is a part of the web where cybercriminals and hackers buy and sell things such as personal information. Your personal information is then used to commit a variety of crimes such as identity fraud, financial fraud, tax fraud, credit fraud, medical ID fraud, or even home & auto title fraud. 

Unfortunately it is impossible to have your information scrubbed off the dark web. It’s not a matter of if but of when someone will use your private information to try and commit a crime. While the situation for every American has become very concerning there are several things you can do to help reduce the impact these crimes can have.

5 Tips to Protect Yourself From Data Breaches

1 – Get dark web monitoring

Dark web monitoring is essential in knowing when your data has been exposed in a breach and when a cybercriminal is trying to use your data to commit fraud. You can use that information to prevent and address potential fraud helping protect your identity and finances.

2 – Monitor your credit

Credit monitoring can alert you immediately of any unusual activity, such as new account openings, significant purchases, or changes to your credit report. By receiving these notifications as soon as they occur, you can quickly identify and address potential fraud or unauthorized transactions, helping to protect your credit score and financial health.

3 – Remove your info from data broker sites

Data brokers buy, store and sell your information to telemarketing companies and scammers. Data brokers many times obey the law and will delete their records of your information if asked to. There are tools that will locate the data brokers with your information and request they delete it for you, helping to protect your data.

4 – Consider a credit freeze

A credit freeze is an easy way to prevent credit fraud from occurring as nobody will be able to open a new line of credit or take out a loan in your name. To freeze your credit simply get in touch with your credit bureau or do it online through their website. 

5 – Get ID theft protection

ID theft protection will monitor for your information being used as fraud and help you recover from an incident. Good ID theft protection comes with $1m in theft insurance and restoration specialists to do the hard work for you. By getting ID theft protection you can better defend against cybercriminals who are looking to exploit you. 

To guard yourself digitally is paramount for protecting yourself and your family from the escalating threats posed by cybercriminals. Data breaches, unfortunately, have become commonplace, with cyberattackers using increasingly sophisticated tactics. To counter these evolving threats, individuals must adopt proactive measures to secure their personal information.

While implementing recommended security practices is essential, it may not provide comprehensive protection against the relentless efforts of cybercriminals. To achieve a higher level of security and peace of mind, investing in a robust digital protection service such as IDefendForYou is highly recommended.

IDefendForYou Can Help!

Good news for current IDefendForYou customers – you are covered against data breaches. Watch for alerts and sign into your IDefendForYou account to make sure all your monitored information is up to date.  

While everyone should have a complete home and family digital defense service, not everyone has the time or expertise to do it on their own. IDefendForYou protects your identity, removes your personal information from the web, and scans the dark web, while protecting your identity, your money, and your credit.

Learn more and get protected today. Try IDefendForYou risk free and save 30%.

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]]> How to Protect Yourself from Heathcare Ransomware https://idefendforyou.com/blog/identityandfinancial/how-to-protect-yourself-from-heathcare-ransomware/ Fri, 24 May 2024 21:42:57 +0000 https://idefendforyou.com/?p=8648 Your private information, your social security numbers, addresses, and credit card numbers are stored alongside medical information, but what happens when that information is stolen during a cyber attack?

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  • How to Protect Yourself from Heathcare Ransomware
Your private information, your social security numbers, addresses, and credit card numbers are stored alongside medical information, but what happens when that information is stolen during a cyber attack?

In this article

Healthcare is a necessity each and every American utilizes from the moment they’re born. Each and every doctor visit, procedure, medication decision and more is documented and stored in the healthcare system servers.

Like anything these days, private information may not be so private. Heathcare companies are one of the prime targets of cyberattacks thanks to the mountains of personal data stored on their servers, as well as how vulnerable those same servers often are.

Medical Servers are Targets 

The truth is healthcare is one of the most attacked by cyber criminals. The goldmine of private information that they hold makes them a treasure trove to any who can gain access. Once this private information is compromised, criminals can sell it on the dark web which empowers the buyer to commit identity theft by impersonating you to open loans, credit cards, and more.

How to Protect Yourself

Fortunately, there are proactive steps you can take to mitigate your risk of exposure, prevent medical identity theft, and to recover from an often inevitable data breach.

Have data monitoring in place

First, you need to have a professional identity and financial monitoring system in place to alert you not only when your private information is used, but also when it is exposed online. This will allow you to immediately take countermeasures to lock down your information and secure your assets before too much damage is done. 

Freeze your credit

Second, you can lock down your social security number by calling each of the credit bureaus and asking for them to put a freeze on your credit. This will stop any and all credit runs from occurring which would stop loans and credit cards from being opened in your name. If you need to run a credit check for your own personal use, then you can call the bureaus and inform them of the credit run. Once the credit check is ran, then the credit bureaus will immediately lock back down your credit again until you state otherwise.

Watch out for scams

Lastly, watch for any email, phone calls or text messages which may come to you. There is a chance that people may be reaching out in an attempt to scam or trick you into giving out more of your private information. They can impersonate your healthcare provider or bank because they have that information and therefore can help gain your trust in giving out additional information.

Remember, if you are ever in doubt about the conversation or message, go directly to the source. Find the direct line to your bank or healthcare provider and reach out to them for answers.

Don’t live in fear

Healthcare data breaches are becoming far too prevalent, but you don’t need to live in fear. Unfortunately, with the technology and assets at the hands of cyber criminals it’s no longer a matter of if, but when your information is compromised. You don’t need to live in fear, instead, take the steps necessary to protect you and your family. 

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]]> Ascension Healthcare Data Breach https://idefendforyou.com/blog/identityandfinancial/ascensionattack/ Wed, 15 May 2024 21:12:40 +0000 https://idefendforyou.com/?p=8637 Ascension, the well-known healthcare provider, was recently hit with a cyberattack resulting in a massive data breach. Here's what you need to know.

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  • Ascension Healthcare Data Breach
Ascension, the well-known healthcare provider, was recently hit with a cyberattack resulting in a massive data breach. Here's what you need to know.

In this article

Healthcare provider Ascension, known for its expansive network of 140 hospitals, recently fell prey to a cyberattack, sending shockwaves through the medical community. The attack, which struck at the core of Ascension’s operations, disabled vital systems including electronic health records (EHRs), the MyChart patient communication platform, and crucial medication and test-ordering systems.

What happened?

In a disclosure on May 8, Ascension revealed the extent of the attack and assured the public of its commitment to investigating the incident alongside internal and external experts, with a steadfast focus on maintaining patient safety throughout the disruption.

On May 7 employees during their workday began to notice anomalies in the computer networks which prompted an immediate shutdown of all systems. The dangers of a cyber attack hold a paramount weight to the integrity of Ascension. Because of this attack, the health care provider had to temporarily suspend non-emergency medical procedures and appointments, and even more extreme, suspending or diverting emergency medical services. 

When did the attack take place?

Healthcare and insurance companies are constantly targeted by cyber criminals to either attack or successfully extract vital information which they can then turn around and sell on the dark web. From what we know of this attack on Ascension, it was specifically made to shut down the system in order to potentially compromise data or ask for a ransom to be paid in order for the system to be freed.

We say this happened in September 2023 with the MGM Resort and Casino being a part of a data breach in which the entire system was hijacked and shut down for weeks, including casino slot machines and computers, until they paid the millions in ransom in order to be given back their system. 

The effect of healthcare related cyber-attacks

This can take a major toll on the business or in this case hospitals and cause a great deal of damage to those in need of care and to the providers financially as well. When companies are attacked and vulnerabilities exposed, it can devastate the companies and even force them to shut down. Likewise, if it was a vulnerability created by the company’s failure to maintain a high security level, then fines can bombard them as well.

This attack has effectively shut down multiple hospitals while they work to troubleshoot the ransomware attack and gain control of their systems. Ascension responded by stating,

“We are actively supporting our ministries as they continue to provide safe, patient care with established downtime protocols and procedures,” stated Ascension in a company release. “It is expected that we will be utilizing downtime procedures for some time.” They continued, “We are working to fully investigate what information, if any, may have been affected by the situation,” Ascension assured. “Should we determine that any sensitive information was affected, we will notify and support those individuals in accordance with all relevant regulatory and legal guidelines.”

Kurt Osburn, director of risk management and governance at NCC Group, urged healthcare entities to adopt a proactive stance in fortifying their cybersecurity posture and implementing robust measures to safeguard patient data integrity and privacy. 

How to protect yourself

This unfortunate incident underscores the vulnerability of the healthcare sector to cyber threats. Just months prior, United Healthcare’s Change Healthcare subsidiary faced a similar ransomware attack, underscoring the persistent challenges confronting healthcare organizations in safeguarding their digital infrastructure.

In the wake of Ascension’s cyber crisis, the imperative for heightened cybersecurity measures within the healthcare landscape has never been more pressing. As the industry grapples with evolving threats, a concerted effort to fortify defenses and prioritize patient safety cannot be stressed enough.

Ensure you have dark web monitoring

Extremely private information is stored in businesses and hospitals especially carrying extremely important data on their customers including social security information, insurances, addresses, medical information, and much more. This is why having proper and constantly evolving defenses in place is crucial, because it is our personal information that then gets in the hands of cyber criminals for them to do with what they wish. 

This is why constantly monitoring your private information for identity theft is not only recommended but needed. Data breaches and cyber attacks are becoming far too common, and steps need to be taken so that you can quickly respond to the threats the moment they arise. To not do so, can have devastating and long lasting effects for years to come. 

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