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When it comes to data breaches, one might assume that the bigger the attack, the worse the damage. But it turns out the opposite may be true, according to identity security firm Sontiq's 2021 Mid-Year 2021 Cybercrime Report.
Based on an analysis of data breaches using its BreachIQ product, which looks at the types of data exposed in a breach and assigns it a risk-level score of one to 10, Sontiq said the nine highest-risk breaches of 2021 so far have targeted small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Cyber-criminals, which are targeting SMBs 69% of the time, are then using the data stolen during these lesser-known breaches to commit more cyber fraud, according to the report.
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Natasha Chilingerian
Natasha Chilingerian has been immersed in the credit union industry for over a decade. She first joined CU Times in 2011 as a freelance writer, and following a two-year hiatus from 2013-2015, during which time she served as a communications specialist for Xceed Financial Credit Union (now Kinecta Federal Credit Union), she re-joined the CU Times team full-time as managing editor. She was promoted to executive editor in 2019. In the earlier days of her career, Chilingerian focused on news and lifestyle journalism, serving as a writer and editor for numerous regional publications in Oregon, Louisiana, South Carolina and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, she holds experience in marketing copywriting for companies in the finance and technology space. At CU Times, she covers People and Community news, cybersecurity, fintech partnerships, marketing, workplace culture, leadership, DEI, branch strategies, digital banking and more. She currently works remotely and splits her time between Southern California and Portland, Ore.
