A data breach is when information is accessed, taken, or used by a person without authorization. Data breaches can impact businesses and consumers negatively in many ways—costing them money, reputational damage, and time.

Data breaches seem to be everywhere in today’s society. In fact, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), three data breaches happen every day and over 4 million records have been lost in breaches already this year. This means that many people are at high risk for being involved in some kind of data leak if they have not already been compromised.

While there are some things you can do to try and avoid having your data hacked, it continues to be more difficult to avoid as we live most of our lives surrounded by data collection. Here are a few tips on what to do when your data may be compromised.

Keep an eye on your information because data is a part of the world that is not going anywhere. Being cautious about how you are sharing your data is the most effective way to protect yourself from a data breach.

In the wake of a data breach, remember that the breach alone doesn’t mean you’re immediately a victim. But if sensitive data like Social Security numbers are stolen, you could potentially become a victim down the road. Unlike credit card numbers, you can’t easily change your Social Security number, so the identity theft risk remains.

The important thing is to stay alert and know what to look for, even as you strive to keep your personal information as secure as possible. If you do see red flags, be ready to take the appropriate actions we’ve outlined to help protect yourself.

Read about the Australian Notifiable Data Breach here.

Read about the latest Notifiable Data Breach statistics here.

Here’s how Xari Group can help with our Xari Xecure Suite.