Data Breach

A type of security incident where sensitive, confidential, or protected data is accessed or disclosed by an unauthorized person. In other words, information that was meant to stay inside your company (or strictly controlled) has "leaked out."

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This could happen because a hacker broke in and stole customer records, an employee accidentally published private data on a public website, or lost a device that had unencrypted data on it.

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A breach often triggers specific legal responsibilities (see Breach Notification) and can have serious consequences - financial loss, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage. Examples of data breached information include customer personal details, credit card numbers, health records, intellectual property, or trade secrets.

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It's important to note: a breach is about the data exposure; you could have a breach without malware or a classic "hack" (for instance, emailing a spreadsheet of employee SSNs to the wrong external address is a breach). Preventive measures (like encryption, strong access controls, and monitoring) help avoid breaches, but if one happens, containing it and notifying affected parties promptly is crucial.