Who is most likely to be at fault with a data breach?

Asked by: Dorian McKenzie  |  Last update: August 16, 2025
Score: 4.7/5 (55 votes)

If a company has adequate cyber security tools in place, and a breach occurs regardless, the incident may well be due to mistakes made by CISOs. A chief information security officer is likely to be held responsible if a security team doesn't detect, or offer a robust response when a data breach takes place.

Who is to blame for data breaches?

Human error is responsible for 74% of data breaches.

Who is most likely to be accountable for the data breach?

The company's IT department can be held responsible for the occurrence of a data breach when they fail to maintain security standards. This can happen when they don't have adequate policies in place, or if they don't have enough staff members with IT experience.

Who is liable in a data breach?

Individuals can be and often are held legally accountable for data breaches in various scenarios, including: Intentional unauthorised access: this includes hacking or accessing data without permission. Such actions can lead to criminal charges under the Computer Misuse Act 1990.

What is the most likely cause of a data breach?

The 8 Most Common Causes of Data Breaches
  • Weak and stolen credentials.
  • Backdoor and application vulnerabilities.
  • Malware.
  • Social engineering.
  • Too many permissions.
  • Ransomware.
  • Improper configuration and exposure via APIs.
  • DNS attacks.

How Likely is Your Employee to Cause a Data Breach? | SecurityMetrics News

43 related questions found

What are the 4 common causes of data breaches?

Common Causes of Data Breaches
  • Cause 1. Insider Threats Due to Misuse of Privileged Access. ...
  • Cause 2. Weak and Stolen Passwords. ...
  • Cause 3. Unpatched Applications. ...
  • Cause 4. Malware. ...
  • Cause 5. Social Engineering. ...
  • Cause 6. Physical Attacks.

What do most data breaches start with?

According to reports, 91% of all attacks begin with a phishing email to an unsuspecting victim. On top of that, 32% of all successful breaches involve the use of phishing techniques.

Can I sue for data breach?

Anyone who has been affected by a data breach may have the right to file a lawsuit, including individuals, businesses, or organizations that have suffered harm due to the breach.

What is an example of a personal data breach?

Examples of data breaches:

Loss or theft of a physical file or electronic device; A ransomware attack whereby access to systems or records containing data is disabled or encrypted; A cybersecurity attack whereby personal data are accessed, altered, deleted and/or disclosed by the attacker.

Are companies held accountable for data breaches?

As a result, few companies can be held financially accountable for data breaches. Florida has even passed a law that says companies can't be sued at all for data breaches if they demonstrate they have implemented certain security procedures.

Whose responsibility is it to report a data breach?

Part 3 of the DPA 2018 introduces a duty on all organisations to report certain types of personal data breach to the Information Commissioner. You must do this within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach, where feasible.

Who is responsible for the breach?

Who is to blame for a breach? Determining who is to blame for a breach of PHI depends on the specific circumstances surrounding the incident. If the breach occurs due to the negligence or failure of a covered entity to implement and maintain appropriate safeguards, then the covered entity would be held responsible.

What determines a data breach?

A data breach is any security incident in which unauthorized parties access sensitive or confidential information, including personal data (Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, healthcare data) and corporate data (customer records, intellectual property, financial information).

Who is ultimately responsible for data security?

Each company will have a designated team of individuals — usually including a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and an IT director — spearheading this initiative, but the reality is, all employees are responsible in some capacity for ensuring the security of their company's sensitive data.

How do I know if I was part of a data breach?

You can use the following trusted services to see if your Social Security number or other personal information has been part of a data breach: Have I Been Pwned? National Public Records Breach. Pentester Check.

Do companies get punished for data breaches?

This means that even a small business with a few customers could accumulate substantial fines. Aside from regulatory fines, businesses may also face legal action from affected customers or employees, who may seek compensation for any damages or losses resulting from the breach.

What is the biggest cause of personal data breach?

Number One: Email Errors

Yup, the top cause of data breaches is still email. Emails sent to the wrong recipient(s) or accidentally using CC for multiple recipients (thereby revealing their details to all recipients). A breach of this nature can be embarrassing, and/or can have serious consequences.

Am I personally liable for a data breach?

State and federal data privacy laws in the U.S. do not impose civil liabilities in the event of a cyber intrusion. Typically, liability is imposed if the following conditions exist: An entity failed to implement safeguards required by statute or reasonable security measures.

Can I claim compensation for a data breach?

Under the DPA and GDPR, you are entitled to file a claim for data breach compensation if: Your personal data has been leaked, disclosed, corrupted, hacked, mis-used, or lost. The breach was deliberate or due to negligence. The breach occurred within less than six years.

How much are data breach lawsuits worth?

Thus far, 2024 has been a banner year, featuring the first, second, and sixth largest data breach related securities class action settlements of all time, totaling $560 million. These cases involved alleged failures to disclose data breaches or material aspects relating to how customer data is secured.

What is the latest data breach in 2024?

The biggest data breaches of 2024
  • Infosys (8.5 million records) ...
  • UnitedHealth (100 million individuals) ...
  • Young Consulting (950,000 individuals) ...
  • Ticketmaster (40 million individuals) ...
  • Evolve Bank (7.6 million individuals) ...
  • Dell (49 million customers and 10,000 employees) ...
  • Tile (66 million individuals) ...
  • Snowflake (Unknown)

Has anyone received money from Equifax settlement 2024?

Important Settlement Update

The settlement administrator has been sending out payments for out-of-pocket losses, time spent claims, and other cash benefits. In November 2024, the settlement administrator will be sending prepaid cards with additional payments to those who previously received a payment.

How long does it take to recover from a data breach?

How Long Does Data Breach Recovery Take? According to IBM, it takes, on average, 277 days to identify and contain a data breach. However, this can vary based on a number of factors, including: The size of impacted systems.

What website gets hacked the most?

Here are a few of the most targeted kinds of websites:
  • E-commerce websites. Often hackers can find vulnerabilities within an e-commerce website, especially ones using common coding or shopping cart software. ...
  • Small businesses. ...
  • News outlets. ...
  • Healthcare. ...
  • Government. ...
  • Financial services. ...
  • Non-profit. ...
  • Online retailers.

What is the number one risk when you appear in a data breach?

A data breach can easily result in identity theft when sensitive information is exposed to unauthorised individuals. Hackers can use this information to steal a person's identity and commit fraudulent activities, such as opening new accounts or making unauthorised purchases.