
Common Threats
Online identity theft
Online identity theft is when someone gets personal information from another person, and uses it for their own gain.
A data breach is when private and confidential information is released into an unsecured environment. This usually means that the information becomes publicly available. It also means that others can use it for personal gain, or to cause harm to a business or individual.
Data breaches can happen to any business or organisation, large or small. The kind of information that’s released is usually:
Data breaches happen when information is:
For businesses, this poses both a financial and reputational risk. It can mean that customers lose trust in the business, their brand, or see the business as being unethical. Regaining customer trust and implementing better security practices.
Data breaches are easier to avoid than they are to fix. Here’s what you can do to reduce the likelihood of a breach.
As a business:
Here are the steps to take when you’re dealing with a data breach.
If it’s happened to your business:
Find out your responsibilities under the Privacy Act 2020. External Link
A breach notification should be made to the Office of Privacy Commissioner no later than 72 hours after you become aware of a notifiable privacy breach.