Are you one of the people affected by these recent data leaks?

Make sure your router is secure

There's a reason browsers like Microsoft Edge have added stolen password notifications. Data breaches are an unfortunate fact of life and can have costly consequences for individuals. Hackers can steal identities and compromise bank accounts, to name a few.

Cybercriminals hack approximately 4,800 websites each month with major attacks called FormJacking. It's become all too common to hear about a major hotel chain or social media company exposing customer data.  

Hackers can steal your personal information and passwords without your knowledge, and the time between the theft and notification of the breach can be very long. One example is the CafePress data breach. This is a popular online retailer that prints personalized items.

CafePress suffered a data breach in February 2019. This leak exposed millions of names and addresses, security questions, and more. Hackers also accessed unencrypted Social Security numbers.

As mentioned, the breach occurred in February, but many consumers weren't notified until late summer. The FTC recently took action against the company due to its reckless security practices.  

The fact is, months or years can go by without you even realizing that your data has been compromised. Unless you're visiting the right website, you might not even notice. These stolen password features in browsers are very useful. What if you have more information than just a compromised password?  

It's best to protect yourself with some knowledge on the matter. We'll help you out by listing several recent leaks. If you've interacted with any of these companies, you'll definitely want to take steps to protect yourself from the fallout.  

Recent leaks of personal information that may affect you

Microsoft customer data leak

On October 19, 2022, Microsoft announced a breach that exposed customer data. A misconfigured server was to blame. The breach exposed some business transaction data. It is believed that this breach could have affected more than 65,000 entities worldwide.  

2.5 million documents exposed in student loan breach

Did you get a student loan from EdFinancial and the Oklahoma Student Loan Authority (OSLA)? If so, you could be in trouble. The organizations notified those affected by the loan by mail in July 2022.

Personal information at risk included:  

• Social security number
• Email addresses
• Personal addresses
• Phone numbers

The breach compromised the data of more than 2.5 million loan recipients.  

2.2 million personal data stolen from U- Haul

U-Haul, the major rental company, is a household name. It also recently suffered a major data breach. The company notified customers in August 2022 that certain rental contracts had been compromised. The contacts in question took place between November 5, 2021, and April 5, 2022.  

The data breach exposed names, driver's license numbers, and state ID numbers, affecting more than 2.2 million people who rented vehicles from the company.  

Neopets data leak may have compromised 69 million accounts

You wouldn't suspect a cute site like Neopets of being a cybersecurity risk, but the platform's users got a rude awakening due to a breach of the service. An estimated 69 million accounts may have had their emails and passwords leaked.  

The stolen Neopet database and a copy of the source code were offered for sale for approximately $94,500.  

Employee computer causes Marriott breach

Hotel giant Marriott suffered another breach in July 2022. It blamed a single unsecured employee computer. Around 300 to 400 people had their data leaked. This data included credit card numbers and other confidential information.  

Unfortunately, the company exhibits a pattern of poor cybersecurity. It has suffered three separate breaches in the past four years. It's enough to make you want to pay cash or use a prepaid card if you stay there.  

Shield Health Care Group exposes up to 2 million records

In March 2022, Shield Health Care Group detected a breach. The Massachusetts-based company discovered that hackers had compromised up to 2 million customer records . This included medical records, Social Security numbers, and other sensitive personal data.  

Flagstar Bank takes 6 months to identify individuals affected by data breach

In December 2021, Flagstar Bank suffered a data breach. It wasn't until six months later that the individuals affected were identified, and the impact was significant. It included exposed Social Security numbers. The hack affected approximately 1.5 million customers.  

8.2 million former and current Block customers compromised

Block, formerly known as Square, a popular payment processing platform, announced in April 2022 that it had suffered a data breach in December of the previous year. A former employee accessed customer names and brokerage account numbers. Some accounts also had access to other stock trading information. Approximately 8.2 million current and former customers had their data exposed.  

Crypto.com Suffered Data Theft by Hackers of Over $30 Million

Cryptocurrency may be popular right now, but it's highly susceptible to cyberattacks. In January 2022, more than 483 users had their Crypto.com wallets stolen. The criminals bypassed two-factor authentication, which is generally quite effective. They stole approximately $18 million in Bitcoin and $15 million in Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies.  

How secure are your passwords?

There are many solutions that can help you better manage and secure your passwords. Contact us to learn more about protecting your personal data.

About Nexxo

Nexxo Computer Solutions specializes in providing IT and technology services to Quebec businesses. Its mission is to offer Quebec companies IT services tailored to their needs. Acting as an external IT department, it handles all of a company's IT tasks, allowing it to focus on its business activities. It achieves this by collaborating closely with its clients and putting their interests at the center of its concerns.