Staying Ahead of Data Breaches: Essential IT Security Practices

With data breaches making daily headlines, organizations must proactively strengthen their information security posture. Staying ahead of data breaches isn’t just about deploying new firewalls; it’s about adopting holistic IT security strategies, informed by the latest incidents, and integrating lessons learned into your company’s digital DNA.

Lessons from Recent High-Profile Data Breaches

Examining real-world breaches offers vital insights into how attackers exploit weaknesses and where organizations can fortify their defenses.

LexisNexis Data Leak Exposes 364,000+ Identities

LexisNexis Risk Solutions suffered a significant data breach that exposed the personal information of over 364,000 people, including names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and contact information. The breach occurred in December when an unauthorized third party accessed the company’s records through a third-party platform used for software development. LexisNexis, which operates as a data analytics and data broker firm, filed notice of the incident with Maine’s attorney general, confirming that the compromised data included highly sensitive personal information that could potentially be used for identity theft and other fraudulent activities. The breach has prompted investigations into potential legal claims against the company for failing to adequately protect the personal data of hundreds of thousands of individuals.
Read more | Investigation info

PowerSchool: Education Data of 70 Million Compromised

A 19-year-old Massachusetts college student named Matthew Lane has pleaded guilty to hacking charges related to a major data breach affecting PowerSchool, a company that manages educational data. Lane and unidentified co-conspirators were involved in hacking PowerSchool’s system, facilitating a September 2024 data breach that compromised the personal information of approximately 60 million students and 10 million teachers worldwide. The hackers initially stole data from a telecommunications company in May 2024, demanding $200,000 in bitcoin, but later escalated their demands to about $2.85 million in bitcoin on December 28th, threatening to release the massive trove of educational data if their ransom demands were not met. This breach represents one of the largest compromises of student and teacher data in recent history, affecting millions of current and former students, including those in North Carolina’s public school system.
Full details | Social media reaction

23andMe: Genetic Data and Congressional Scrutiny

House Democrats have sent letters to potential buyers of 23andMe, demanding answers about how they plan to protect customer genetic data under new ownership. The letters, signed by 20 Democratic members of Congress, were sent to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and TTAM Research Institute, both of which have submitted separate bids to acquire the genetic testing company. The congressional inquiry specifically asks whether the potential buyers will maintain customers’ ability to delete their data and withdraw consent for medical research use, and whether they will uphold 23andMe’s current policy of not sharing genetic data with law enforcement without a warrant. This congressional action reflects growing concerns about the protection of sensitive genetic information as the company undergoes a potential change in ownership.
Discussion | More info

In parallel, 23andMe has been sold to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals for $256 million following a bankruptcy auction, with Regeneron submitting the highest bid for substantially all of the genetic testing company’s assets. The acquisition includes 23andMe’s biobank containing genetic samples from approximately 15 million customers, and Regeneron plans to operate 23andMe as a subsidiary while continuing to offer consumer genetic testing services. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025, and Regeneron has stated it will incorporate 23andMe’s genetic data findings into its own research operations. To address privacy concerns, Regeneron has committed to detailing its intended use of customer data and implementing privacy programs and security controls that will be reviewed by a court-appointed independent Customer Privacy Ombudsman and other interested parties.
Official news

Healthcare: 8 Million Patient Records Leaked

Over 8 million patient records were exposed in a recent healthcare data breach, highlighting the ongoing vulnerability of medical information in the digital age. Healthcare data has become one of the most targeted types of information by cybercriminals over the past decade, with attackers focusing on various players in the healthcare ecosystem including insurance companies, medical clinics, and other healthcare providers that handle sensitive patient information. This breach represents a significant security incident that affects millions of individuals whose personal medical data may now be compromised, underscoring the critical need for enhanced cybersecurity measures across the healthcare industry to protect patient privacy and sensitive medical records from unauthorized access.
See full article

Essential Practices for Preventing IT Data Breaches

Adopt Zero Trust Principles: Apply micro-segmentation, strong identity management, and assume breach as your operating model.
Regularly Update and Patch Systems: Address vulnerabilities promptly—breaches like LexisNexis prove that outdated platforms are open doors for attackers.
Educate and Train Staff: Frequent security trainings help staff recognize phishing, social engineering, and credential theft attacks.
Encrypt Data at Rest and in Transit: Encryption policies minimize the impact of unauthorized access to sensitive databases.
Conduct Robust Vendor and Third-Party Risk Management: Most large-scale breaches begin through third-party ecosystem weaknesses. Regularly audit and assess all partners.
Develop an Incident Response Plan: Rapid detection and coordinated response make all the difference between containment and catastrophe.
Monitor and Test Continuously: Use observability tools to gain real-time visibility into risks and abnormal activities.

Still wondering how data breaches happen and what you can do? Check our in-depth guide How Data Breaches Happen and How You Can Stay Protected and our analysis of the business impact of data breaches for more practical insights.

Key Takeaways and Future Outlook

The rising sophistication and volume of attacks means organizations can no longer rely on legacy controls or reactive mindsets. As seen in the cases above, it’s not just technology at stake—customer trust, reputation, and even regulatory compliance are on the line. Investing in robust IT security practices, ongoing staff education, and a layered defense approach is critical for business resilience in the data-driven era.

Conclusion

Staying ahead of data breaches requires a proactive blend of technology, people, and process. Only by learning from recent large-scale incidents and rigorously applying IT security best practices can organizations protect their data—and uphold the trust of those they serve—in an era defined by persistent digital threats.