Becoming the victim of a data breach can be catastrophic. It can be, but it doesn’t have to be if you know how to respond.
There’s no way for you to prevent companies and other organizations you do business with from being attacked by cybercriminals. No matter how robust an organization’s security, all it takes is one employee clicking a link in a phishing email to give intruders access.
When you learn your information has been exposed all you can do is respond quickly and methodically.
First, don’t panic. Try to find out precisely what kind of information was exposed - name, address, telephone numbers, email addresses, usernames, passwords, physical addresses, employer, social security number, credit card numbers, etc.
Second, secure affected accounts. Change usernames and passwords for all affected accounts. Turn on two-factor authentication if it’s available and wasn’t already enabled.
Third, contact banks, credit unions, credit card companies, brokerages, the Social Security Administration, etc., and let them know that particular information was exposed in a data breach. Cancel credit cards if necessary and close bank and brokerage accounts if they are at risk.
Fourth, contact the major credit bureaus including Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Request a fraud alert and consider freezing your credit. Often the company or organization that suffered the breach will offer to pay for a credit-monitoring service for those affected.
Fifth, remain vigilant. Depending on the nature and quantity of personal information that was exposed, the frequency of phishing emails, texts and scam telephone calls you receive could increase. Keep a close eye on bank account and credit card transactions.
For more resources that can help you respond to a personal data breach visit my Data Breaches page.
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