Top 10 Data Breaches in 2022

Cybersecurity tools and strategies have improved by a huge margin over the years. However, data breaches remain to be one of the biggest online threats. This means you can never let your guard down especially when you are operating online. In fact, even huge global companies with seemingly ironclad security systems can still be vulnerable to these attacks.

Many large companies have suffered massive data breaches this year, leaking confidential data, losing millions of dollars, and other damages. Here are the ten worst cases that have happened so far in 2022.

Crypto.com Theft

In January, hackers were able to find a way around Crypto.com’s 2-factor authentication, getting access to about $18 million in Bitcoin and $15 million in Ethereum.

Red Cross Data Breaches

It was also in January when online attackers breached the Red Cross database, specifically that of their Restoring Family Links Program. Information of individuals and families separated by war and other causes, as well as missing persons, were stolen. The Red Cross was able to stop the attacks by immediately taking their servers offline.

Ronin Crypto Theft

The Axie Infinity game became wildly popular early in 2022 and to accommodate more players, they loosened security protocols. This risky move allowed hackers to move in, who eventually managed to steal $625 million worth of cryptocurrency.

Microsoft Data Breaches

In March, the hacking group known as Lapsus$ managed to infiltrate the very tight defenses of Microsoft, putting several of the IT giant’s products at risk. Within two days, though, Microsoft was able to thwart the attack and reported that no client information had been taken.

Cash App Data Breach

A former employee who had beef with the payment company Cash App took to infiltrating their system in April. The hacker stole reports with names, portfolio values, and brokerage account numbers from over 8 million clients.

Student Loan Data Breaches

Nelnet Servicing, a student loan service provider, suffered a data breach in June that led to the exposure of confidential information of more than 2.5 million accounts, including names, contact details, and social security numbers. It was about a month before the breach was discovered.

Twitter Data Breach

In July 2022, a hacker sold data from over 5.4 million Twitter accounts on a hacking forum. The hacker was asking for $30,000 in exchange for the stolen data.

Medibank Data Breach

In October, a malicious party stole data for 9.7 million past and current customers of the Australian insurance and healthcare company Medibank. The company refused to meet the hacker’s demands, who eventually released the files online in separate batches.

Credit Card Information Leak

Also in October, details of over 1.2 million credit card accounts were posted for free on the BidenCash carding marketplace, where anyone on the dark web can use them to make online purchases. These are all active cards that have an expiry date between 2023 and 2026.

Shein Data Breaches

A third party stole 39 million Shein customers’ payment information and sold it on a hackers’ forum. Shein was fined $1.9 million for failing to disclose the 2018 data breach, which was discovered in October.

What to Do If You Think You Have Been Hacked

As you can see, these are all multimillion-dollar companies, and they can even be vulnerable to online attacks that result in data breaches. This only shows that anyone can be a victim. So if you think you are totally safe with the defenses that you have now, you might want to think again. There is no leeway when it comes to online attacks. You need to constantly reevaluate your cybersecurity strategies and keep them updated so they stay relevant to the changing times.

But in the event that you think you may have been hacked, you can follow our step-by-step guide on what to do in order to recover your data and restore your network security. If you need further assistance in reinforcing your security strategies, just call us and we will be on it right away.