Data breach warning: Sony, 900 colleges, health care org and more targeted
Sometimes, we share alerts about one major hack you need to know about — and other times, there’s enough going on that I need to pack a lot in. Sorry, friends, but this is one of those days. I’ll tell you about the data breaches and what you must do.
Have a PlayStation or Sony account?
Sony was hacked by a group with connections to the Dark Web. They accessed Sony’s internal data, including confidential internal testing information and a document repository containing over 6,000 files.
Sony hasn’t confirmed whether customer data has been compromised, but the group says, “We will sell the data. Due to Sony not wanting to pay. DATA IS FOR SALE. WE ARE SELLING IT.” If you have a PlayStation at home, that could mean you.
Calling all students
Chalk this one up to the massive MOVEit file service transfer breach. Data from roughly 900 colleges and universities is up for grabs.
Personal student information was stolen, including name, date of birth, contact information, Social Security number, student ID number and school-related records. If you have a student in your life, let them know.
Health care hack
Nuance Communications, a health care software company, says over 1.2 million individuals had their personal information revealed, including names, demographic data and names of relatives.
It gets worse. Sensitive medical information was compromised, including dates of service, medical facility information, practitioner’s names, health insurance numbers, medication information, diagnoses and patient identifiers. This is bad, really bad.
Word of warning, vacationers
On Booking[.]com, security researchers discovered hackers were using the site to breach the systems of hotels, booking sites and travel agencies. From there, they used their access to steal customer financial data.
Your stolen information is on the Dark Web - What to do next
The Dark Web keeps internet activity private and anonymous. Dark Web content isn’t indexed by search engines, and you need special software to access it. You can imagine the applications for this, such as avoiding government censorship and keeping one’s identity private.
6 hidden uses for password managers
By now you know you need strong, original passwords for every account. There’s just one problem: It’s impossible to remember all the complicated passwords you come up with.
You don’t have to stretch your brain to its limits or write everything in a notebook. You can use a password manager, an app on your phone and computer that keeps track of your accounts. Password managers encrypt all of your passwords — and a password also protects them, so only you can access your library of login information.
The best browsers for privacy at a glance
A browser is your gateway to the internet. It interprets code from websites you visit and displays it in the form of images, text, video, etc. It also tracks your browsing habits to make your overall experience more enjoyable and convenient. Your choice of browser affects much more than what you see on the screen, however. Tap or click here for details on the top browsers.
Medical data breach exposes personal info - see the list of providers
We’re always hearing about data stolen by hackers. Companies are supposed to do everything they can to safeguard your personal information, but criminals are savvy and find new ways to get in.
Fallout from a data breach can be long-lasting and incredibly damaging. All it takes is a stolen Social Security number or credit card information to destroy your finances and help crooks steal your identity. Cleaning up that kind of mess can be tough. Just ask the victims of the massive Equifax data breach for proof.
Security how-to: Remove saved credit card info your browser
You might find when you pay for something online, your web browser offers to save your credit card information, so you can pay faster next time. That can be convenient, but also dangerous if other people ever get to your computer.
Your data may have been stolen from these 10 companies
Your money is at risk. If you shop online, your ID, your Social Security number, your home address, credit card numbers and passwords are in danger of being stolen by hackers.
It’s a problem that far exceeds your worst fears. There are billions, with a “b,” breached accounts for sale on the dark web.