Personally Identifiable Information: Don’t Put Your Customers At Risk Of Cyber Theft
Are you making it easy for hackers to access your customer data as a result of not having a cyber security plan in place?
If you’re familiar with our IT blog, then you may already know what Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is and how it affects your business and your customers.
In previous blogs, we talked about:
- What PII is
- Why you need to secure customer PII
- The top causes of a PII data breach
- The risks to your business when PII is stolen
In this blog, we are going to cover how stolen PII implicates your customers — and why you should care.
First let’s refresh your memory on what PII is and what happens when there’s a PII data breach.
What is PII?
Personally Identifiable Information (PII) refers to various data points that can be used to identify an anonymous individual. Social security numbers, tax identification numbers, and location data are all examples of PII.
What Happens When PII is Stolen?
When a hacker gets hold of any type of PII, they gain access to confidential information. They can use this information to tap into your network and steal your data. They can also use this information to target your customers. Having a cyber security plan is crucial.
So, how can they use PII against your customers, and why should you care? Keep reading to find out.
PII DATA BREACH: KNOW THE RISKS TO YOUR CUSTOMERS
- Identity Theft
Cybercriminals acquire sensitive customer data to use it to their advantage. For example, they can impersonate your customers using their credit card numbers, social security numbers, health plan beneficiary numbers or biometric identifiers. Then, they use this stolen identity to commit fraud or gain financial benefits.
- Social Engineering Attacks
Data breaches can uncover your customers’ PII, especially sensitive data, such as name, address, contact details, date of birth and so on. Cybercriminals can put these data points on the Dark Web and use them to launch social engineering attacks on your customers. The attackers may then psychologically manipulate or trick customers into sharing their confidential details.
- Blackmail Campaigns
Data breaches can expose sensitive medical information, such as psychotherapy reports or blood test reports. Cybercriminals can use this information to run blackmail campaigns against your customers by threatening to leak the information online.
As you can see, the implications of a data breach can have devastating effects on your customers, and this can also affect you.
How Stolen PII Affects You and Your Business
So, how does stolen customer data impact you?
If your customers experience a cyber attack of this kind, they will be less likely to work with you in the future. What’s more, they may write poor reviews, which can damage your online presence. They may even go as far as suing you for negligence.
Don’t lose the trust of your customers and the integrity of your business.
Keep Customer Data Safe and Secure
Want to do everything in your power to prevent a cyber attack? Leave it up to the experts at Third Power IT.
Our consultants have decades of experience protecting data for healthcare facilities, financial institutions, e-commerce businesses, colleges, and more.
At Third Power IT, we know one size does not fit all when it comes to cybersecurity. That’s why we create custom IT packages based on your unique needs.
Start building your cybersecurity strategy today. Get in touch with us now by contacting us online or calling us directly at: 844-677-3687
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