Your Data Was Breached: What to Do Next

Data breaches are unfortunately common in the digital age. Major companies experience breaches regularly, exposing millions of user records. Knowing how to respond quickly can minimize the damage.

Step 1: Verify the Breach

Before taking action, confirm the breach is real. Check the company official communications and reliable news sources. Scammers sometimes send fake breach notifications to trick you into clicking malicious links.

Use services like Have I Been Pwned to check if your email address appears in known breaches.

Step 2: Change Your Password Immediately

Change the password for the breached account immediately. Use a strong, unique password that you have not used anywhere else. Our password generator can create a secure replacement in seconds.

Step 3: Check for Password Reuse

If you used the same password on other accounts, change those immediately as well. Attackers commonly try leaked credentials on other popular services — a technique called credential stuffing.

Step 4: Enable Two-Factor Authentication

If you have not already, enable 2FA on the breached account and any other important accounts. This provides protection even if your password is compromised again in the future.

Step 5: Monitor Your Accounts

Watch for suspicious activity on your financial accounts, email, and social media for the following weeks and months. Set up alerts for unusual login attempts or transactions.

Step 6: Consider Credit Monitoring

If the breach exposed financial information or Social Security numbers, consider placing a credit freeze or signing up for credit monitoring services. Many companies offer free credit monitoring after a breach.

Step 7: Watch for Phishing

After a breach, attackers may use your leaked information to craft convincing phishing emails. Be extra cautious about emails that reference the breach or ask you to verify your identity.

Prevention

The best defense against data breaches is using unique passwords for every account and enabling 2FA wherever possible. A password manager makes this practical. When a breach occurs, you only need to change one password instead of worrying about credential reuse.