How To Check If Your Data Has Been Breached
Your personal information can be valuable and cyber criminals are constantly trying to obtain it. If there has been a data breach, you will be able to find out if your information such as your email, password, phone number and any other personal information has been leaked. This can be made public immediately but sometimes can be months or even years until people are made aware their information has been leaked.
However you can take steps to ensure you are aware if any of your information has been leaked in known breaches. This can help to keep your accounts safe, lower chances of identity theft, and keep you safe online.
This guide will show you how to check if your data has been breached, what to look out for and how to keep your personal information safe.
What Is A Data Breach?
A data breach is when personal or confidential information has been accessed by unauthorised people. This can be due to cyber attacks, stolen login details, flaws in security or an employee accidentally leaking sensitive information.
This can include:
Email address
Phone number
Username
Password
Full name
Date of birth
Address
Payment/financial information
Personal information
Depending on the data breach there can be different types of information leaked. Some may only be email addresses whereas others may have passwords or personal information.
Even if you have been a victim of a data breach it does not necessarily mean your bank account has been accessed or that your identity has been stolen. However it can increase the chances of you being targeted with phishing, account takeover and other cyber crimes.
1. Use A Trustworthy Data Breach Checker
An easy way to check if any of your information has been leaked in a known data breach is to use a trustworthy data breach checker.
Have I Been Pwned is a great resource to use to check if your email has been included in any known breaches.
Go to https://haveibeenpwned.com/ and enter your email address in the search bar. Once you have entered your email you will need to complete any verification steps. Once completed check the results. If your email is in any known breaches it will show. Once you have found that your email has been leaked in breaches look at the information provided.
When you have found there has been a breach look at what type of information has been leaked and when the breach occurred (if available).
Ensure you only use trustworthy sources. Do not use sites that ask you for your current password. Legitimate sites will not ask you to enter your password.
Note: Just because you have no results does not mean your information has not been leaked. Not all breaches will be listed.
2. Check Emails For Security Alerts
Sometimes companies will send out an alert if they find there has been a security issue with your account.
Search through your emails for any messages that have words such as:
Security Alert
Data Breach
Unusual Sign-In Activity
Password Reset
Signed In From A New Device
Suspicious Activity
Also search through your spam folder. Be wary as cyber criminals may try to persuade you to click on malicious links.
Avoid clicking on any links or attachments. Go to the official site/application of the company and check any security alerts.
A genuine security alert may tell you what has happened, what information has been affected and what you need to do.
3. Check Passwords
Your passwords are one of the most important things to keep safe after a data breach.
If your passwords are not stored securely by the website or criminals have obtained your login details they may try to use them on other platforms (Credential Stuffing).
If you use the same password for your email, social media and shopping accounts and one of these has been breached it can affect your other accounts.
To reduce this you should:
Change any leaked passwords
Change any duplicate passwords
Ensure each important service has a unique password.
Use a trustworthy password manager to create and store strong passwords.
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication.
Some password managers and security tools will notify you if your stored passwords have been leaked in a known breach.
Never enter your password into an unknown website claiming to check if your password has been compromised.
4. Look For Signs Your Account Has Been Compromised
If you have not received any breach alerts but are noticing unusual activity it could mean that someone has accessed your account without authorisation.
Some signs of this include:
Password not working
Password reset emails
Logging in from unknown places/devices
Unsent emails in sent folder
Profile/recovery information changed.
Unauthorised purchases.
If you only have one warning it may not be an issue but if you have multiple warnings you should act immediately.
If you suspect your account has been compromised change your password from a trusted device, log out of any sessions, check your recovery email and phone number and enable Multi-Factor Authentication.
If you are using an email account check your forward rules and apps. Attackers may change these to still have access to your account once your password has been reset.
5. Check Financial Accounts/Payments
If you think your financial information may have been compromised check your bank account, payment services and credit/debit cards.
Check for any unknown transactions, changes to your account, unexpected payment alerts and any new accounts.
If you notice any suspicious transactions contact your bank/payment provider via their official site/application or phone number. Ask how to secure your account, block your compromised card, and dispute any unauthorised payments. Keep an eye on your account.
If you are using the same password for your banking as another breached website change your password.
Don’t wait for proof that your money has been stolen. Take reasonable measures as soon as you can to help reduce any damage.
6. Know What Information Was Leaked
Knowing that your email has been leaked is useful but knowing what information has been leaked is more important.
Carefully read through any information about the breach. If you can find any trustworthy information check if your email, password, phone number, financial information or other personal information was leaked.
Once you know what information has been leaked you can:
Email – Be aware of any phishing emails or suspicious messages.
Password – Change your password immediately and any duplicate passwords.
Phone Number – Be aware of any suspicious calls/texts or verification codes.
Financial – Contact your financial institution and check any transactions.
Identity – Be aware of any signs of identity misuse and contact the relevant authorities/institutions if needed.
Note: The breach checkers may not have much information. If the company confirm there has been an issue check their official security alert.
7. Keep Yourself Safe From Future Data Breaches
Whilst you cannot prevent all companies you use from having security issues you can reduce the damage that could occur.
Start by:
Using unique passwords. Don’t use the same password on multiple websites. Use a password manager.
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication. This adds an extra layer of security. Use an authenticator app or passkey for better protection.
Update your devices. Ensure you are running the latest updates to your OS, browsers and apps to fix any known security issues.
Don’t give out any extra personal information when creating an online account.
Be aware of phishing. Be wary of any urgent messages asking you to verify your password, payment information or unexpected attachments.
Keep your email account safe. Your email is often used to reset passwords on other services.
Keep an eye on your important accounts. Check for any security alerts, active sessions and financial activity.
Whilst you cannot fully eliminate all risks taking these steps will make it harder for criminals to misuse your information.
What Should I Do If My Data Has Been Breached?
If you have found out your information has been leaked don’t panic. Try to focus on the accounts that are most likely to cause issues.
Ensure your main email account is secure and any accounts with leaked passwords. Change any duplicate passwords, enable Multi-Factor Authentication and remove any unknown devices/sessions.
If your payment or identity information may have been compromised check your financial accounts. Follow any official instructions from the affected company. Be wary of anyone contacting you unexpectedly claiming to help you recover your account.
Keep an eye on your accounts for any unusual activity. Some risks such as phishing and account takeover can occur after the breach.
