Navigating Legal Paths And Complexities

Business Threats of Cyber Invasion

On Behalf of | Mar 10, 2016 | Business Law |

Businesses face many challenges including the increasing threat from cyber invasion of files.  Protecting businesses and people from the data breaches which creates financial and personal vunerability is an important concern for the State of California.  In February 2016, California Attorney General Harris issued a white paper addressing these concerns entitled “California Data Breach Report“. For California businesses and individuals, the white paper is a valuable read. 

The white paper outlines important information for all businesses and persons.  A sample of the information is as follows:

“Types of Data Breached”

      • More of the most sensitive personal information – Social Security numbers and medical information – was breached than other data types.

      • Social Security numbers were the data type most often breached, involved in just under half of all breaches, for a total of 24 million records containing Social Security numbers. That is nearly half of the 49.6 million records of Californians breached in the four-year period.

      • Medical information was included in 19 percent of breaches and 18 million records, and payment card data in 39 percent of breaches and 16 million records.

      • As retailers continue their transition to EMV (chip-enabled payment cards), the attractiveness of trying to steal payment card data from in-store systems will decline and the focus of criminals on Social Security numbers will likely increase.”

L. Sue Loftin is the Founder and Shareholder of The Loftin Firm. For questions relating to this blog or any other California real estate, corporate governance, land use, or estate planning matter, contact Ms. Loftin at .