The total number of data breaches and leaks in 2023 so far has already outpaced last year’s numbers, according to new data from the Identity Theft Resource Center.
By the numbers: Through September, the ITRC tracked 2,116 data compromises — a 17% increase from the 1,802 total compromises tabulated in 2022.
Why it matters: The new data suggests that companies and government regulators’ attempts to squash the ransomware attacks and other cyberattacks plaguing organizations have hardly made a dent.
- The ITRC found that much of this year’s rise can be attributed to a combination of increasing ransomware attacks, so-called zero-day vulnerabilities and supply chain cyberattacks.
What they’re saying: “While setting a record for the number of data breaches is attention-grabbing, unfortunately, it is not surprising,” Eva Velasquez, ITRC’s president and CEO, said in a statement.
- “Now that we have broken the previous annual data compromise record, the question remains: by how much?”
The intrigue: While the total number of compromises has increased, the number of victims in 2023 is dramatically lower than last year’s.
- So far in 2023, 233.9 million people have been affected by data breaches and leaks — compared to 425 million in all of 2022.
Between the lines: Attacks tied to a vulnerability in the popular file-transfer tool MOVEit accounted for three of the five most impactful breaches in the third quarter, the report found.