10,461,621 Online Identity Records Were Lost in September 2011, According to the IdentityHawk Identity Breach Report
IdentityHawk’s September 2011 report accounted for 54 publicly-known breaches. IdentityHawk members, armed with information, could take action to help “stop fraud before it starts.”
NORWALK, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IdentityHawk® reported 54 publicly-known breaches in September compromising 10,461,621 online records. The results are part of the “breached institutions” listing from the IdentityHawk September 2011 Identity Breach Report.
“So far in 2011, 26.5% of the breaches identified in the ITRC Breach Report have been a result of hacking”
The 10 million-plus online records compromised are a huge jump from the August report that had 678,614 compromised online records as found in the IdentityHawk August 2011 Identity Breach Report. August accounted for 44 publicly known breaches, versus 54 in September.
According to Jeff Paradise, executive director of IdentityHawk, “The huge spike in records exposed in September was due to three large breaches reported during the month, each with more than a million records. However, in tracking this for the past few years, we have found it is normal for the number of total records to be sporadic from month-to-month. But, consumers must remember it only takes one breach to compromise their identity.”
IdentityHawk is a leading identity protection service that aggressively zeroes-in on potential threats to help consumers safeguard their identity.
A data breach, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), is “an event in which an individual’s name plus Social Security Number (SSN), driver’s license number, medical record, or a financial record/credit/debit card is potentially put at risk – either in electronic or paper format.”
Cyber-attacks are a leading factor in the number of reported data breaches during 2011, with cyber criminals becoming more organized and forming cyber-gangs to create more targeted cyber-attacks.
“So far in 2011, 26.5% of the breaches identified in the ITRC Breach Report have been a result of hacking,” said Karen Barney, program director at the ITRC. It should be noted that the ITRC Breach Report identifies only U.S. breaches and not breaches originating outside of the U.S.
IdentityHawk’s constant data breach alert service is part of IdentityHawk’s comprehensive “Fraud Screening.” It assures that IdentityHawk members can take swift action to protect their personal identity, upholding the IdentityHawk promise to help “stop fraud before it starts.”
IdentityHawk members receive alerts of key consumer data breaches. Members can then do the following:
1. Immediately see the details of the breach.
2. Determine if they are affiliated with the fraud event.
3. If affiliated with the breach, IdentityHawk guides members through the steps they need to take protective measures.
Added Paradise, “While cyber crime is becoming more sophisticated, consumers can be more sophisticated as well. Watch for changes in credit scores, credit cards and more. If you see changes, take aggressive action. Stopping identity theft in its tracks can take minutes, restoring an identity can take years,” he said.
About IdentityHawk
IdentityHawk is a leading identity protection service that aggressively zeroes-in on potential threats to help consumers safeguard their identity. Members are warned of potential identity risks so they can take better control to stop fraud before it starts. IdentityHawk is a product of FYI Direct, Inc., a leader in direct-to-consumer credit and identity protection services. For more information, go towww.identityhawk.com.
