Learning from the Largest Data Breaches of 2024

Posted February 4, 2025

2024 was a landmark year for cybersecurity, marked by an unprecedented number of massive data breaches that have shaken industries from healthcare to finance. As we push full-steam into 2025, these incidents offer critical lessons for companies aiming to fortify their digital defenses. Here’s an in-depth look at some of the year’s largest breaches and the strategic insights they provide.

1. The Snowflake Data Breach

Affected Companies: Ticketmaster, AT&T, Santander, among others.

Impact: The breach affected up to 165 organizations according to Mandiant and potentially billions of records were compromised through a single vulnerability in Snowflake’s cloud infrastructure. Hackers used stolen, often outdated, credentials to access sensitive data.

Main Takeaways

Credential Management: Implement stringent credential hygiene. Regularly update and rotate access keys, and enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Third-Party Risks: Assess and monitor the security posture of all third-party vendors, especially those with access to your data.

2. National Public Data Breach

Impact: Over 2.9 billion records, potentially affecting 270 million individuals, were exposed. This breach led to the company filing for bankruptcy due to the fallout.

Main Takeaways

Data Minimization: Only collect and store data that is absolutely necessary. The less data you have, the less there is to steal.

Incident Response: Have a robust incident response plan in place. Quick, transparent communication can mitigate legal and reputational damage.

3. Change Healthcare Ransomware Attack

Impact: Potentially affected one-third of all Americans, disrupting healthcare services nationwide.

Main Takeaways

Ransomware Preparedness: Regular backups, isolated from the network, are crucial. Additionally, companies should prepare for operational continuity in case of an attack.

Zero Trust Security: Implement a Zero Trust model where trust is never assumed, and verification is required from everyone trying to access resources.

4. AT&T Data Breaches

Multiple Incidents: Two significant breaches, one exposing metadata of 110 million customers, another leaking personal information of 73 million.

Main Takeaways

Legacy Systems: Modernize or secure legacy systems. Old systems often harbor vulnerabilities that are not patched.

Data Encryption: Encrypt data at rest and in transit. Even if data is stolen, encryption can prevent its misuse.

5. Dell Data Breach

Impact: 49 million customer records were exposed, showing the scale of risk in even routine data handling.

Main Takeaways

Security in Supply Chains: Ensure that all parts of your supply chain, including customer service portals, are secure.

Employee Training: Continuous education on cybersecurity best practices is vital. Human error remains a significant vulnerability.

Looking Ahead to 2025

Strategic Positioning for Cybersecurity

AI and Machine Learning: Leverage AI for threat detection and response. AI can analyze patterns and detect anomalies in real-time, offering a proactive shield against breaches.
Cloud Security: As more companies move to the cloud, understanding and securing cloud environments becomes paramount. Regular audits of cloud configurations are essential.
Regulatory Compliance: With regulations like GDPR and CCPA becoming stricter, compliance should be seen as a baseline for security measures rather than just a legal requirement.
Incident Response and Recovery: Develop and test incident response plans regularly. Speed in response can limit damage and restore operations faster.
Public-Private Partnerships: Engage with government bodies and other companies to share threat intelligence. Collective defense is key in the cybersecurity landscape.
Cyber Insurance: Review and possibly enhance cyber insurance policies to cover new types of cyber threats and increased operational costs post-breach.

The breaches of 2024 serve as a stark reminder of the ever-evolving nature of cyber threats. As we step into 2025, companies must not only react to these events but anticipate future challenges. By learning from past breaches, implementing advanced security measures, and fostering a culture of security awareness, organizations can better safeguard their digital assets and protect their stakeholders. The journey towards a more secure digital ecosystem is ongoing, but with each lesson learned, we move closer to resilience in the face of cyber adversity.

Kevin Willette

Kevin Willette is President of Verus Corp. His focus is ensuring complete customer satisfaction and providing as much or as little support as is needed for the individual client. Kevin knows that plenty of places do IT services, but what sets Verus apart is the local feeling and the commitment to doing things right the first time. He has always wanted to be a business owner because it affords him the opportunity to offer a service that was better than anything clients had seen before. His true goal is to help customers make their businesses better by removing potential IT barriers. Kevin served as chair for Habitat for Humanity during his time at Minnesota State University, Mankato. He has also served on the WatchGuard Advisory Council since 2016. Kevin’s work with Verus has helped them achieve awards as the WatchGuard Partner of the Year and Cisco Select Partner. Kevin graduated from Minnesota State in 2000 with a major in Business Marketing and minors in Business Administration and Music.