1 in 15 Users Exposed in Facebook Data Breach

The tech giant once again finds itself in hot water.

Over 530 million users of the social media site had their personal information leaked via an online database. The sensitive data could be downloaded for free on the forum where it was posted.

Phone numbers, names and dates of birth were among the personal data found. Although no financial information, social security numbers or passwords were exposed, the information could provide bad actors with methods for identity theft and other social engineering attacks.

The best (or worst) part of all of this? According to Facebook, they have absolutely zero plans of notifying the users that were affected. Whether or not this is against GDPR compliance is a hot topic of conversation. If you’re unaware, EU citizens are governed by a privacy law that dictates European Union residents have timely notification of data breaches, amongst other security protocol. Facebook, thus far, has refused to give further comment on discussions they’ve had with regulators about the issue.

This isn’t the first time the social media platform has been criticized over how it handles user data– from the Cambridge Analytica scandal to being sued by the FTC, Facebook has succumbed to some very public misconduct.

This isn’t just an isolated incident either, it’s an industry-wide issue. When companies fail to secure your data, they are opening you up to follow-up cyber attacks down the road.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you were the victim of a data breach, you can utilize an online service called “Have I Been Pwned” to check. By inputting your email address or phone number, you’ll be able to see which data leaks (if any) your information has been a part of.

When discussing these events, cyber-experts may sound like a broken record, but it is so crucial to understand that your data is a commodity to these cyber-criminals. Too often businesses don’t do enough to safeguard your information, and then fail to perform the necessary tasks to rectify breach. While it may cost a company a few thousand dollars in fines, it could cost you a lot more.

Remember to keep on top of your cyber hygiene by changing passwords regularly, enabling 2FA or multi-factor authentication when able, and making data privacy a priority.