Cybersecurity: Recent Data Leaks and User Preventive Practices

You may be aware of a recent significant increase in cybersecurity related to substantial data leaks and breaches. They range from violations of genetic data to extensive leaks of social media accounts.

This article will dive deeper into data leakage, the latest incidents, common causes and risks, and tips to prevent them.

Data Leaks and Recent Examples

Data leaks occur when confidential information is accidentally disclosed to unauthorized individuals or parties. The prominent consequences of a data leak can vary from information loss to harmful exploitation. 

Recent Examples of Data Leakage (2025)

Frequently, data leaks result in data violations (data breaches) occurring due to a deliberate cyberattack by cybercriminals.

Kering 

In September 2025, a ransomware incident targeting the parent company of luxury brands – Gucci, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen – compromised confidential customer and corporate information. 

Microsoft 

In July 2025, a 2.4 TB data breach occurred due to a Microsoft misconfiguration, followed by the exploitation of a SharePoint zero-day flaw (ToolShell), which granted attackers administrative access and enabled data theft.

• Samsung 

In March 2025, Samsung suffered a data breach that led to the theft and exposure of 270,000 customer records. The compromised information included names, email addresses, phone numbers, order numbers, product information (such as TV models), customer complaints, and Samsung’s replies. 

• X 

In March 2025, a hacker unveiled a vast dataset containing 200 million records from X (formerly Twitter), including email addresses, usernames, and user IDs. The leak origins stem from a vulnerability initially reported to Twitter’s bug bounty program in January 2022. 

How Do Data Leaks Happen: Common Causes and The Risks 

The main culprits of data leaks range from human error to poorly protected cloud storage and incorrectly set firewalls. 

The Common Causes

• Human Errors

It stems from poor handling of sensitive information, like mistakenly emailing the wrong people or disclosing private details without appropriate permission. Losing or misplacing devices – laptops, USBs, mobile phones – is another unfortunate primary root of data leakage. 

• Weak or Bad Infrastructure

It is when systems or network infrastructures are improperly set up or not routinely maintained. It includes incorrect settings and permissions during the initial setup that can lead to unauthorized access or inadequate security. Examples of these misconfigurations are unprotected cloud databases and open firewalls. 

• System Errors

Any errors in the system can cause network vulnerability. Also, maintenance delays, such as software updates or the repair and replacement of faulty components, may result in data exposure.

• Weak password guidelines

Weak password practices include reusing credentials across accounts and creating passwords that are not sufficiently complex. 

• Social engineering fraudulent schemes

Through email and social media, criminals may attempt to exploit unknowing employees to infiltrate their organization’s network, systems, or financial resources.

• Vulnerabilities from third parties

External applications and vendors that might require access to your network or system.

• Internal threats (Malicious insiders)

Less frequent than unintentional leaks, the internal risks may stem from dissatisfied employees or contractors who have access to confidential information and may deliberately expose data.

The Risks

Risks for Individuals

They may face consequences like identity theft, financial fraud, and financial loss (scams, phishing), and harassment or even harm (doxxing). 

Risks for Organizations

Operational interruptions will happen, prominently resulting in reputational (brand) damage. It can erode customer confidence, leading to customer turnover and challenges in gaining new clients, investors, or workforce.

Organizations also face Intellectual Property (IP) theft due to the exposure of their trade secrets, tactics, or research and development information. It undermines their competitive edge. 

All of them, of course, generate a serious financial impact. The damage may include expenses of recovery efforts, regulatory penalties (GDPR, HIPAA), legal actions from impacted clients, and heightened security expenditures.

How to Prevent: User Best Practices

Prevention is better than curing. Since data leaks often stem from internal issues, it is necessary to identify vulnerabilities and implement protective measures. 

• Implement data loss prevention (DLP) solutions

They help companies oversee data access and control the flow of confidential information. DLP tools enable data teams to perform data audits, implement access controls, identify unauthorized file transfers, prevent the external sharing of sensitive information, and safeguard sensitive data from theft or abuse.

• Assess and review third-party risks

Third-party risk evaluations and examinations are essential for recognizing and reducing vulnerabilities in contractors or vendors that manage sensitive information. 

• Implement strong security measures

It may include endpoint security, cloud posture management, data encryption, multifactor authentication, or automated vulnerability assessments. 

• Utilize an organized ransomware approach

This structured strategy can reduce harm and help organizations swiftly contain ransomware, halt its proliferation, and safeguard critical data. 

• Conduct cybersecurity awareness training

Training employees enables them to collaborate effectively and recognize common human errors (for example, weak passwords and excessive permissions). They can manage and leverage this awareness to enhance defences against cyberattacks.

Once again, due to common causes, data lakes that occur reveal sensitive data, putting organizations and individuals at risk of external exploitation. Accordingly, proactive prevention measures are crucial.