April 20, 2020, Kathmandu
Recently you might have been hearing a lot about data breach and data being hacked and published. Recently, within this month, many companies’ data breaches have shocked us all. When a company’s data is breached, you will get notified about the data breach by that particular company. It can either by direct messaging or via a post on social media. Besides these, you can at least hear it from the news or any media outlet. But even though you get informed about your data being leaked, you don’t have to panic; just follow some simple steps.
- Categories your stolen/leaked data
Well, the level of panic you should be in depends upon what kind of your information has been leaked. After you are aware of the data breach, you need first to categorize what type of data was stolen/leaked in the data breach to act accordingly. You can categories it in 3 group:
Least sensitive data: In confidential lease data, there lies your name and your address as these are easily accessible in any social media or on the internet, so this might not be a significant concern. Your primary care will be on sensitive data, which contains your details and security questions, which lie in the second category.
More sensitive data: In this category, there lie your details more than name and addresses. Your information like phone numbers, email addresses. Security questions, date of birth details, your Healthcare report are your more sensitive data.
Most sensitive data: The critical information that can cause you trouble both emotionally and financially lies in this category. Your bank details, which include payment or credit card information, your citizenship details, passport details, etc. lies in more sensitive data and need immediate action if these details are leaked.
- Changing passwords
After you are informed about the data breach, you need to change your password as soon as possible. This should be applied in any category of the data breach. Create a new password for your account different from the previous one. If you have been using the same password for different accounts in the dream as well, having the same password for different accounts might not be a safer idea nonetheless of a data breach.
- Change your credit card/ banking detail
If your banking details have been compromised, Immediately contact your respective Bank. Inform your brain about the data breach and change your sensitive information. Sensitive information includes card pin code, card verification value, etc.
- Be aware of phishing attempts
After your data is leaked online, you might get many phishing attempts, spam emails, so you must be careful about the information you provide through the call/Internet. If you get any phishing calls or any spam calls, immediately report the concerned department.
What if your passport is breached?
If your passport has been breached, the best way to prevent yourself from any financial, emotional harm is to replace it with new. Renewing your visa with the new one might cost you extra money, but this sum might be worth less than the cash the previous can extract from you using your passport details.
If you have not been aware of the recent data breach or want to check ok if you have been pwned. you can check using website: https://haveibeenpwned.com/