Data breaches continue to surge! September saw numerous organisations and brands impacted, but in this blog, we’ll highlight some of the most significant and relevant incidents like Dell, IMED, Total Tools and more.

IMED

Radiology imaging specialist IMED recently confirmed a data breach in a company statement. The breach involved sensitive data, including medical reports, scan images, names, addresses, and other personal details stored in their system. Although IMED has not disclosed the exact number of affected individuals, a hacker has reportedly posted thousands of patients’ data online from the past month alone. The hacker claims to have had access dating back to 2006, suggesting that tens of thousands of patients across Australia may be affected.

digiDirect

Late last month, popular camera retailer digiDirect experienced a breach that exposed 304,000 customer records. The stolen data included names, email addresses, phone numbers, billing and shipping addresses, and more. So far, digiDirect has not commented publicly, and there has been no official response to the breach claims. Generally, this confirms that the organisation has been breached but has either yet to fully assess/in the process assessing the damage of the data leaked.

Dell

Dell found itself on the data breach list again in September, this time with over 10,000 employees’ data compromised. While much smaller than their previous breach involving 49 million customers, this incident included sensitive employee information such as IDs, names, employment status, and internal identifiers. Depending on how this information is used, it could pose security risks, including potential access to internal systems or even physical locations.

Total Tools

Total Tools, one of Australia’s largest hardware chains, disclosed a breach that affected up to 38,000 customers. Exposed data includes names, login credentials, email addresses, and credit card information. The company has engaged a third-party cyber forensic team to investigate the breach and determine how it occurred. The CEO has advised customers to take additional precautions following the incident, with investigations still ongoing.

AVIS Car Rental

Renowned car rental company AVIS recently suffered a breach, with sensitive customer information leaked. While AVIS hasn’t shared specific details, it is believed that the exposed data may include credit card numbers, personal addresses, and license details. The company is advising affected customers on how to prevent further identity theft and is offering a complimentary one-year membership to Equifax.

How can I keep my data safe?

As data breaches become more common, the importance of taking personal action to safeguard your data, privacy and identity increases. Leaked personal information might not be of concern instantly, but overtime cyber-criminals pool leaked data to create more compelling scams, phishing attacks and even commit identity fraud. Here are some key tips to protect your information:

• Use strong, unique passwords: Avoid reusing passwords and combine letters, numbers, and special characters.
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Add an extra layer of security by requiring a second verification step.
• Monitor your accounts: Regularly check bank and credit card statements for suspicious activity.
• Update software regularly: Keep devices and software up to date with the latest security patches.
• Be cautious with personal information: Carefully consider what information you share online and with whom.

You can check if your data has been breached through our free tool here . If your data has been breached, contact ID Care.