Cyberattacks create consequences not only for the targeted company, but also for their customers. The effects are far-reaching, as information has become all the more powerful in today’s digital age.
Here’s a list of the most significant data breaches of the decade:
Yahoo!
Yahoo, once a dominant Internet service company, was victim to two massive data breaches in 2013 and 2014. Disclosed first, the attack in 2014 exposed the information of more than 500 million Yahoo users. This included names, email addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth.
But the breach that occurred in 2013, fully disclosed only later, in 2017, revealed three billion accounts had been compromised and hackers had been able to access even the passwords and security questions of users.
As a direct consequence of the breaches, Yahoo accrued regulatory and legal liabilities and their sale price dropped about $350 million.
Marriott International
Marriott International is a hospitality company that experienced a cyberattack that lasted from 2014 to 2018. During this time, the information of about half a billion customers was stolen. The hackers were able to take names, contact and travel information, passport numbers, and encrypted credit card data from the company’s network.
Under Armour
Under Armour, a consumer goods manufacturer, acquired the application and website MyFitnessPal in 2015. In February 2018, the app was hacked and the company disclosed that over 150 million user accounts had been affected. While no sensitive information was stolen, the brand did suffer reputational damages and see a drop in their share price.
Anthem
Anthem Healthcare, formally known as WellPoint, was the second-largest health insurer in the country when it was hacked in February 2015. They detected unauthorized access to the personal information and medical histories of almost 79 million customers. It is the largest data breach in healthcare history.
PlayStation Network
In 2011, Sony’s PlayStation Network was hacked. Over 77 million user accounts were breached, and the company lost $171 million when they temporarily shut down operations of the site. Hackers gained access to 12 million unencrypted credit card numbers, allowing them complete access to sensitive information like credit card numbers, purchase histories, and login credentials. It remains the worst data breach experienced by the gaming community.
JP Morgan Chase
JP Morgan Chase is a multinational investment bank, the largest in the United States. The company fell victim to a hack back in July of 2014.
Seven million small businesses and 76 million households, over half of all the households in the country at the time, were affected. Hackers stole personal data and information. However, sensitive account details were not compromised, and customers did not experience direct financial losses.
Uber
In late 2016, the transportation network company Uber experienced a data breach that exposed the personal and private information of over 57 million riders and 600,000 drivers. Uber suffered significant reputational and financial costs as a result, with the breach being a leading factor for the drop in its stake value from $68 billion to $48 billion.
Data breaches reduce the financial stability and damage the reputation of both small and large organizations across the various industries, including those of web, healthcare, retail, and financial.
Cyberattacks have become increasingly sophisticated. CMIT Solutions offers IT solutions for any kind of business. We recognize the importance of identifying and applying security controls across your organization in the midst of the continuously evolving cyberthreat landscape. This is why we implement multi-layered cybersecurity measures for your business’s network.
Contact us at 800-399-2648 or fill out our form today.