Concord Privacy News: 7/24/24

Data Breaches Abound — Here’s How to Protect Yourself

This month alone we have learned of several major data breaches that have compromised personal data, prompting real concerns for both customers and companies. To name a few: AT&T announced that tens of millions of its cellphone customers’ call and text message records were exposed in a massive data breach. Advance Auto Parts said it experienced a data breach where hackers were able to steal customer data including full names, Social Security numbers, and driver license numbers — a breach impacting 2.3 million people. And a lawsuit was filed this month against Live Nation and Ticketmaster claiming negligence, following a data breach where hackers claimed to have stolen 1.3TB of personal data.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. According to TechCrunch, at least 1 billion records have already been stolen or accessed in data breaches this year. When these type of high-profile breaches happen, it’s a good reminder to take a few simple steps to protect your data.

Create safe passwords: Weak passwords are one of the biggest threats to online privacy, especially if you use the same password across multiple sites and devices. ****Make sure you are using unique and complex passwords (pass phrases are even better) for each of your accounts. If you can, enable two-factor authentication as an additional layer of security.

Be vigilant about electronic communications: Scrutinize messages you receive via email and text, and only open those from people you know and trust. Never give personal information by text or email to someone you don’t know. Don’t click on links in texts or email from an unknown sender — even if you recognize a business name or logo. Instead, go directly to the company’s website.

Monitor your credit: While credit monitoring won’t prevent you from being targeted by online hackers, it can help you mitigate impacts. You are entitled to a free credit report each week from each of the three major credit bureaus – Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. You can also request a free report from AnnualCreditReport.com.

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Other Privacy News of Note

Nigeria Fines Meta $220 Million for Violating Data Protection and Consumer Rights Laws

Nigeria's government on Friday announced a fine of $220 million on Meta, saying its investigations found “multiple and repeated” violations of the country's data protection and consumer rights laws on Facebook and WhatsApp. Read more.

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Oracle Reaches $115 Million Consumer Privacy Settlement

Oracle agreed to pay $115 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the database software and cloud computing company of invading people's privacy by collecting their personal information and selling it to third parties. A preliminary settlement of the proposed class action was filed on Thursday night in San Francisco federal court, and requires a judge's approval. Oracle denied wrongdoing. Read more.