Data Breaches and Your Personal Data

By Jen Sloan | February 7, 2018

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Many major data breaches have been revealed in the last two years. In the worst breach of 2017 the personal data, including Social Security numbers, of 143 million people was stolen from Equifax, the credit reporting agency. And in 2017 the enormous scope of the Yahoo hack was also revealed. Looking back at 2016, the hack of the Democratic National Committee was the most high-profile, but there were other breaches that exposed the personal information of millions.

What’s the Big Deal?

Get a sense of the scale of recent hacking with this interactive graphic featuring links to detailed information about each incident. World’s Biggest Data Breaches, frequently updated interactive website of breaches greater than 30,000 records.

Have You Been Hacked?

Use the resources below and see if your personal information may have been exposed.

“What Parts of Your Information Have Been Exposed to Hackers” Quiz

Use this online tool to learn which parts of your identity may have been stolen in some of the major hacking attacks during the last three years. (The New York Times)

Have I Been Pwned?

Enter your email addresses to check if your account has been compromised. This site also includes a continually updated list of breached websites. (Have I been pwned? A troyhunt.com project)

What You Can Do

Follow the recommendations in these articles to help protect your data, and the NYU network.

Your Yahoo Account Info Was Definitely Hacked–Here’s What to Do

In 2017, four months after Verizon acquired Yahoo’s core internet assets, it was revealed that three billion Yahoo accounts—including email, Tumblr, Fantasy, and Flickr—were stolen. Here’s some advice and more information. (CNET)

What to Do If Hacked

Answers to frequently asked questions about how you can protect yourself. (The New York Times)

Under Lock and Passphrase

Protecting and storing your passwords with a password manager
Includes best practices for creating and managing passwords. (Connect)

Keeping Your Private Information Private

Recommendations to help you protect your online information, identity, and privacy. (NYU IT Security News and Alerts blog)

Additional Reading

  • For additional information, please see the NYU IT Security News and Alerts. While you’re there, be sure to sign up to receive email notifications.
  • Equifax Says Cyberattack May Have Affected 143 Million in the U.S.: Overview of the Equifax breach. (The New York Times, Sept. 7, 2017)
  • Learn to Spot a Phony: Phone scams seek to dupe recipients into disclosing sensitive information or providing seemingly harmless responses to questions. (Connect)
  • Phishing, Spear Phishing, and Whaling: Workplace and personal email have become the most common attack surfaces for opportunistic and targeted phishing scams. Article includes valuable lists of resources and best practices. (Connect)
  • How is your Phishing IQ?: Over 90% of cyberattacks start with a phishing email. Can you tell the difference between a legitimate and phishing email? Take the SonicWall test to find out your phishing IQ. (SonicWall)