Making Sense of the MGM Grand Data Breach
The Identity Theft Resource Center reports that there were 1,473 known data breaches in 2019. These attacks affect the data of millions of people. A compromised identity can have consequences that last for years. One of the most visible data breaches of 2019 was the MGM Grand breach that exposed the information of 10.6 million former hotel guests.
How the MGM Data Breach Happened
Like many data breaches, this data breach happened due to an improperly configured server. In July of 2019, hackers took advantage of the lapse in security and were able to get hold of a great deal of customer data. Most of the data involved basic contact information such as names, addresses, phone numbers and emails. In a few cases, the hackers accessed more sensitive data such as driver’s license and passport information
Responding to the Breach
While the MGM data breach only came into public knowledge recently, MGM claims that it notified the affected customers in August of 2019. They have reviewed and increased their data security in an attempt to prevent breaches in the future, but unfortunately hackers continue to improve as well. For affected customers, there is not much to do in response to this breach. Most of the data is information that could be discovered through a low-level online search. For those whose data was stolen, the most vulnerable piece of information in this breach is the email address that was used to register with MGM. Criminals might try to use that email to get access to financial data like bank accounts and credit card information.
Safe Email Security Practices
The most common way hackers exploit an email address is by sending a phishing email that tries to trick the recipient into clicking a link. This link might take the user to a fake bank site where he or she will be asked to input account information. The link might also place a virus or some other kind of malware onto the customer’s computer, leaving it open to other attacks. The best policy is, if someone is at all unsure about an email, leave the links alone and delete the message. Another way to enhance email security is by using multiple email accounts. It is easy to create several different email addresses to be used for different tasks. One account could be focused on business dealings. A separate account could be created for traveling or shopping. Another account could be used exclusively for personal correspondence. If hackers compromise one of the accounts, there will be less work necessary to change it.
White Label Identity Protection for Employee and Customer Safety
At Enfortra, we believe in providing comprehensive white label identity protection to help keep your employees, customers and members safe. These days, one of the best employee benefits you can provide is identity and credit protection. By partnering with Enfortra, you can add this safeguard as part of your brand. Whether it is part of your client, member or employee benefits, data protection services will give those who are associated with your brand enhanced peace of mind.