Breaches

Breaches denote violations of security, confidentiality, or integrity that allow unauthorized access to information, assets, or spaces. The term is used across domains such as information security, law, and physical security. In information security, a breach usually means that protected data has been accessed or disclosed by an actor who lacks authorization. Breaches can also refer to violations of contracts or barriers.

Data breach, security breach, and breach of contract are common uses of the term. A data breach involves unauthorized access to personal or sensitive data from an organization, often through cyber intrusion, phishing, malware, misconfigured systems, or insider activity. A security breach covers unauthorized entry to facilities, networks, or devices. A breach of contract occurs when obligations are not fulfilled under an agreement.

Causes include weak access controls, unpatched software, social engineering, inadequate monitoring, and third-party risk. High-value targets, large networks, and insufficient data minimization increase exposure. Breaches may be discovered by automated monitoring, internal audits, or external reports. The complexity of modern systems can complicate attribution and remediation.

Impacts range from financial losses and regulatory penalties to operational disruption and harm to individuals whose information is exposed. Reputational damage can erode trust and affect customer loyalty. In many jurisdictions, breach notification requirements obligate organizations to inform affected individuals and regulators within a defined timeframe.

Response and prevention follow established incident response lifecycles: detect, contain, eradicate, recover, and review. Preventive measures include encryption of data at rest and in transit, multifactor authentication, network segmentation, routine patching, rigorous access controls, continuous monitoring, and robust vendor risk management. Notable breaches, such as those affecting Yahoo, Equifax, and Marriott, have shaped governance and policy.