Summary:If you’ve received a notice of data breach letter,it’s natural to have many concerns.This guide helps you understand the letter,the type of breach you’ve experienced,and the steps you can take to protect your personal information.

　　With data breaches becoming more common,partly due to stricter data breach notification laws,it’s no surprise that you might receive a notice of possible data breach.These letters generally provide details about the incident and may offer general fraud prevention advice.However,they rarely give you a complete understanding of the potential risks or a personalized action plan.

　　So,what should you do if you’re affected by a security breach?The answer depends on two main factors:

　　1.The organization that experienced the breach.

　　2.The type of information that was compromised.

　　Although nothing can replace the personalized guidance offered by our expert care team,this article will help you answer these questions and provide steps to minimize your risk.(If you’re an IDX member,our fraud and identity recovery experts can help you interpret the letter and manage your response.)

　　Step 1:Determine What Information Was Exposed

　　A security breach notification letter may specify which of your personal details were compromised,but it might not give you the full story.There are two reasons for this.First,businesses often limit the information they share to avoid bad publicity or legal issues,and breach disclosure laws vary across industries and states.Second,newer state breach notification laws often require swift notification,which means some details may emerge weeks or months after the initial breach.

　　Sometimes,you might hear about a data breach in the news before you receive an official letter.If this happens,news reports often provide a web address where you can check if your information was exposed,such as was the case with the 2017 Equifax breach or recent Reventics data breach.

　　In either case,it’s best to keep an eye on updates as more details may surface over time.Use the data breach letter or news reports as a starting point,but it’s wise to assume the worst to protect yourself.

　　To help create a plan of action,consider all the information you might have shared with the affected organization and list the data they likely have.Ask yourself the following:

　　•Do you use the same username and password elsewhere that could give hackers access to other accounts?

　　•Was your Social Security number used for identification?

　　•Did you provide your email address as a username?

　　•What credit card or account details did you supply for payments or deposits?

　　•Did they store any of your health data or travel records?

　　•Did they archive personal communications or photos that you wouldn’t want to be made public?

　　This information could be used to steal your identity or harm you in other ways.It’s crucial to know what data might have been exposed so you can take protective actions,such as changing passwords on other accounts or setting up a fraud alert on your credit profile.

　　Step 2:Create an Identity Defense Plan

　　Personal information exposed during a breach generally falls into three main categories.Review your list of shared data and sort it into these categories:

　　1.Financial Information:This includes credit cards,bank or investment accounts,loans,Social Security numbers,and any data tied to taxes or government benefits.

　　2.Medical Information:This covers health plan details,member IDs for private insurance or government programs like Medicare/Medicaid,as well as any medical conditions or treatments.

　　3.Other Personal Information:This includes personal details that may not be protected by data breach laws but could be used to scam,blackmail,or embarrass you.Hackers could also use this information to conduct phishing attacks,targeting you or your contacts.

　　Being Prepared for Future Breaches

　　Unfortunately,data breaches are inevitable in today’s connected world.In fact,the number of breaches surged 68%last year,leading to record levels of identity theft.While you can’t prevent breaches from happening,you can protect yourself by following the strategies outlined here.Stay alert to security breach notification letters,take steps to safeguard your identity,and watch for signs of identity theft to quickly limit any damage.

　　Being proactive about your privacy is also key.The less personal information criminals can access,the safer you’ll be.IDX Privacy Protection offers tools and advice to help you keep your personal data secure,because at the end of the day,you should be in control of your privacy.

　　If you’ve received a Reventics data breach letter or any other notice of a data security incident,it’s important to act swiftly.Understanding the risks and knowing the legal protections provided by state data breach notification laws or the potential development of a federal data breach notification law can help you mitigate damage and take control of the situation.