2024 saw some of the most shocking data breaches, exposing millions of records and highlighting cybersecurity failures. From poor crisis management to a lack of multi-factor authentication (MFA), these incidents provide critical lessons for policyholders.
Here’s a look at four of the most poorly handled data breaches of 2024—and what your policyholders should do differently if they ever find themselves in the same position.
1. 23andMe Data Breach: Blaming Customers
The 23andMe data breach exposed the genetic and ancestry data of nearly 7 million customers after hackers exploited weak account protections. Instead of taking responsibility, 23andMe blamed users for poor password security—even though MFA wasn’t implemented until after the breach. This response led to lawsuits, regulatory scrutiny, and reputational damage.
Key Lesson Learned From This Data Breach
The incident underscores the importance of proactive security measures like MFA and transparent communication.
2. Change Healthcare Data Breach: Delayed Response Worsened Fallout
In one of the largest healthcare data breaches of the year, Change Healthcare suffered a cyberattack affecting over 100 million people. The breach stemmed from an account without MFA, leading to a ransomware attack that crippled healthcare services nationwide.
Worse, the company delayed disclosure for months, only admitting to the breach after paying multiple ransom payments. This drew outrage from patients, healthcare providers, and lawmakers.
Key Lesson Learned From This Data Breach
A swift, transparent response is critical in cyber incident management. Delays amplify reputational and financial damage.
3. Columbus, Ohio Ransomware Attack: Cover-Up and Lawsuit Backlash
The city of Columbus, Ohio faced severe backlash after suing a cybersecurity researcher who revealed the extent of a ransomware attack that exposed 500,000 residents’ Social Security numbers and arrest records.
City officials downplayed the breach, claiming stolen data was unusable. Instead of acknowledging the severity, they attempted to silence the researcher with a lawsuit—only to drop it later amid public and legal pressure.
Key Lesson Learned From This Data Breach
Collaborating with cybersecurity professionals rather than suppressing critical findings is of utter importance.
4. Hot Topic: Silence Amid a Massive Data Breach
In October 2024, retail giant Hot Topic suffered a breach exposing 57 million customer records, including email addresses, phone numbers, and partial credit card details.
Unlike other companies, Hot Topic refused to acknowledge the breach, failed to notify customers, and ignored media inquiries. This silence fueled customer distrust and regulatory scrutiny.
Key Lesson Learned From This Data Breach
Timely communication and accountability in responding to data breaches are vital to avoid further customer mistrust.
Key Takeaways on Data Breach Management
These badly handled breaches of 2024 reveal the consequences of weak cybersecurity, poor crisis response, and lack of transparency. Moving forward, organizations must prioritize:
- Implementing strong authentication methods like MFA
- Proactive security monitoring and rapid breach response
- Clear, timely communication to affected users
Cyber threats aren’t going away—but with the right security measures, your policyholders can avoid becoming the next headline.
