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Published
on
December 21, 2022
Written by
Aranza Trevino
Edited by
Anne Cutler
Reviewed by
Darren Guccione
Updated on April 10, 2024.
When your data is compromised, it means someone who is not authorized has access to your data and can do what they want with it. The sooner you notice that your data is compromised, the quicker you can take action to protect yourself. Some common indicators that your data may have been compromised include your information being available on the dark web, receiving password reset notifications, being locked out of your accounts and unusual account activity.
Continue reading to learn seven signs that point to your data being compromised and what to do if it is.
What is data compromise and how does it happen?
Data compromise refers to data that has been accessed or stolen by an unauthorized person to use for malicious purposes. Most of the time when cybercriminals compromise data, they may sell it on the dark web or use it themselves to compromise even more of your data. The more data a cybercriminal has about you, the easier it becomes for them to steal your identity.
Data compromise can happen in many ways, but two of the most common ways it happens are due to public data breaches and weak or stolen credentials.
Signs your data has been compromised
Here are a few telltale signs that your data has been compromised.
1. Your data is available on the dark web
When public data breaches occur, cybercriminals gather as much data as possible so they can sell it on the dark web. Depending on the scale of a data breach, stolen data can range from something as simple as your full name to something as sensitive as your login credentials and Social Security number (SSN). The best way to check if your data is on the dark web is by using a dark web scanner. Keeper offers a free dark web scanning tool. With the tool, all you have to enter is your email address and you’ll find out if any of the credentials associated with your email account have made their way to the dark web.
2. You are receiving password reset notifications
Another sign that your data has been compromised is receiving a notification that the password for one of your accounts has been changed, but you didn’t initiate a reset request. This means that someone was able to get a hold of your account credentials or guessed them successfully and signed in to your account.
3. You’ve been locked out of your accounts
Account Takeover (ATO) attacks happen when someone logs in to your account and changes your password. Since your password was changed, you’ll be unable to log into your account. You may notice that when attempting to log in to your accounts, you’ll be told that the credentials you enter are incorrect, even though you know those are the credentials you set up for the account.
4. You’re seeing unusual account activity
Many websites and applications will send you alerts about unusual account activity. For example, if someone logs in to your account from a different state or device, some websites and apps will catch this and require you to verify your identity. Some websites and apps may also require authentication before making changes to your account, including username or password modifications. These types of alerts may be signs of possible data compromise, especially if you were not the one who initiated these actions.
5. A new credit line or loan appeared on your credit report
Checking your credit report regularly is a good habit to establish, as it provides you with a clear understanding of credit lines and loans taken out under your name. This makes it easier to spot suspicious activity on your credit report. If you ever notice that a new line of credit or loan was taken out in your name, and you weren’t the one who initiated it, it’s a telling sign that your data has been compromised.
It’s important that when you notice suspicious activity on your credit report, you contact each of the three major credit bureaus so they can freeze your credit: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax.
6. Your device is infected with malware
Malware is malicious software that gets unknowingly installed on devices through various techniques like phishing. While different types of malware work differently, they all have a common goal of stealing data for malicious purposes. The best way to determine if your device has become infected with malware is by running antivirus software. If the antivirus software does find malware, it’s always best to assume that your data has been compromised so you can take steps to protect yourself.
7. Family and friends are receiving weird messages from you
If your relatives and friends are reaching out to confirm that you’re sending them texts, emails or social media messages with odd requests, it’s possible that your data has been compromised and is being used to impersonate you. If your family and friends aren’t aware you’re being impersonated, their data could also be at risk of being compromised.
What to do if your data is compromised
Here are a few steps we recommend you take immediately after discovering your data has been compromised.
Change your passwords
Your passwords are your first line of defense when it comes to protecting your accounts and data. As soon as you notice any of the signs mentioned above, you need to immediately change your passwords. We recommend using a password manager to make changing your passwords a lot easier. If an account you’re changing a password for offers passkeys as a sign-in method we recommend using that option over traditional passwords. Passkeys are a lot more secure than passwords because they’re phishing-resistant and support Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) by design.
Enable MFA on your accounts
It’s also important to enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) as an extra precautionary measure,even if your accounts are using strong passwords. With MFA enabled, even if a cybercriminal knew or was able to guess your password, they would still have to verify your identity, which they wouldn’t be able to do. Password managers like Keeper also store 2FA codes for your online accounts to make your login experience as seamless as possible.
Place a fraud alert on your credit report
If you believe your identity is at risk of being stolen because your data was compromised, placing a fraud alert on your credit report is an important security measure to take. To place a fraud alert on your credit report, you first have to determine the fraud alert to place. There are three types: initial fraud alert, extended fraud alert and active duty alert.
- Initial fraud alert: Lasts for one year and expires after the year is up. Can be renewed at any time.
- Extended fraud alert: Lasts for seven years. Requires you to submit a copy of a police report or Identity Theft Report filed with the FTC.
- Active duty alert: Lasts for one year. For people currently active on military duty.
Keeper® helps mitigate the risk of data compromise
Data compromise can place you, your friends and your family at risk of suffering financial losses and identity theft. Protecting your accounts and data from compromise starts with strong authentication on your accounts and secure password and data management. A password manager like Keeper is the best way to protect your online accounts from data compromise because it helps you ensure that each of your passwords is strong, and makes enabling MFA on your accounts less of a hassle. Password managers can also store additional information like important documents, credit cards and IDs, so your data always remains protected behind strong encryption.
To see how Keeper can help you mitigate the risk of data compromise, start a free 30-day trial of Keeper Password Manager today.
