Top ten data breaches in 2022

Data breaches can be scary, but they're also a stark reminder of how important it is to protect our digital information. This blog post takes a look at the top 10 data breaches of 2022 so far and provides some tips on how you can keep your data safe. Read on to learn more!

 

1. $540 Million Stolen in Ronin Breach

On March 23, 2022, Ronin Network, a cryptocurrency and NFT games company, was attacked when a hacker drained $540 million worth of cryptocurrency from users. This cyber attack set the company back a whopping $540 million and became one of the largest data breaches so far in the year 2022. The breach happened on March 23 but was only discovered Tuesday, according to Ronin, the blockchain that supports Axie Infinity.

 

2. Crypto.com Cyber Attack

Crypto.com, the crypto platform, was hacked in mid-January 2022. The breach is another example of how digital criminals zero in on cryptocurrency websites, with approximately 500 cryptocurrency wallets being targeted and $35 million being stolen as a result of the attack. Cybersecurity firm Flashpoint released data that showed that the financial sector experienced the second-highest number of data breaches as a consequence of this incident.

 

3. Lakeview Loan Servicing: 2.5 million customers

Lakeview Loan Servicing, one of the United States' largest mortgage servicers, recently disclosed a massive data breach that went undetected for over a month last fall and impacted the personal information of over 2.5 million borrowers. The breach included sensitive customer data such as Social Security numbers, financial details, and other sensitive information. The breach is one of the largest in 2021 and has led to class action lawsuits against the company for failing to protect its customers' data. It serves as an important reminder to all companies about the importance of protecting customer data and staying up-to-date with security measures.

 

4. ICRC Data Breach

The International Red Cross (ICRC) experienced a major data breach in January 2022, compromising the personal details of over 515,000 “highly sensitive” individuals. The threat actors accessed information such as names, addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers. We also reiterate our call to the hackers not to share, sell, leak, or otherwise use this data. This breach highlights the need for organizations to continually review and improve their security measures to protect against potential threats.

 

5. Baptist Medical Center Data Breach

The Baptist Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas reported a cyberattack in April of 2022, which may have affected up to 5,150 patients. Following an internal review, the data breach was discovered and determined to have been caused by malicious code from an unauthorized third party. The breach highlights the need for healthcare organizations to remain vigilant in their cybersecurity efforts and ensure they are taking steps to protect patient information.

 

6. Rockstar Data Breach

 In September 2022, Rockstar Games was the victim of a data breach in which cybercriminals stole around 50 minutes of footage from their upcoming video game Grand Theft Auto 6. The breach is yet another reminder that even big, well-known companies can fall victim to malicious actors and underscores the importance of strong cybersecurity measures.

 

7. Medibank Data Breach

The 7th data breach on the list is the Medibank breach. In November 2022, an unidentified hacking group publicly threatened Medibank, the largest health insurance provider in Australia. The attackers claimed to possess data on 9.7 million customers, and because MediBank refused to pay their ransom demands, the hackers followed through with their threat and stole the data. This resulted in Medibank having to contact all 3.9 million customers and inform them of the breach. This attack has raised awareness of the need for companies to take cyber security more seriously and invest in measures that can protect them from potential attacks.

 

8. Australian National University Data Breach

The 8th data breach to make the list of the biggest breaches of 2022 was the Australian National University (ANU) data breach. On 27 April 2022, ANU confirmed that a “sophisticated cyber attack” had compromised the personal information of up to 200,000 current and former staff, students, and associates. The data breach exposed names, addresses, phone numbers, bank account details, tax file numbers, and dates of birth. This attack is believed to have been the work of a state-sponsored actor and is still under investigation by the Australian Federal Police. It was a major wake-up call for organizations both in Australia and around the world, highlighting how even the most prepared organizations are vulnerable to sophisticated cyber-attacks.

 

9. Panera Bread Data Breach

Panera Bread experienced one of the most significant data breaches of 2022, with over 37 million customers’ personal information, including names, addresses, and partial credit card numbers, being exposed. The company reported that the attack originated from an outside source who gained unauthorized access to its customer data. In response to this attack, the company has implemented additional security measures to protect its customers. They have also set up a dedicated website for affected customers to obtain more information and have provided identity theft protection services at no cost.

 

10.  City of Baltimore Ransomware Attack

The City of Baltimore was hit by a ransomware attack earlier in the year, costing the city over $18.2 million in recovery costs and related expenses. To help with the recovery process, the city has hired security consultants and reportedly paid over $250K to recover the encrypted data. This devastating attack serves as a reminder of the importance of cybersecurity in protecting important data from malicious actors.