On a personal level, you may have done your part to protect your data. That includes using
strong passwords, regularly updating software updates on your smartphone, and knowing the
telltale signs of phishing.

Then, you read in the news that a business which you patronize has been the victim of a data
breach. That means there is a possibility that your data is now with cybercriminals who will use
the stolen data for scams.

This may be frustrating to see, given you are doing your part to protect your cybersecurity yet
something happened outside of your control. While you are not at fault here, you must take
extra steps to ensure cybercriminals will not harm you.

These are the things that you can do:

1. Contact the business who was the victim of the data breach

Immediately reaching out to this business is the first step you can take to minimize any
damage that may happen in the future. Make it a point to message them in their official
social media channels, and email or call them.

This is because under the law, businesses are required to provide assistance to their
customers in the event of a data breach.¹

The assistance that businesses must provide to customers include the specifics of what
data has been stolen and remedial steps the business is currently doing to strengthen its
cybersecurity protocols. Customers can also demand for assistance from businesses to
strengthen the security of their data, according to the National Privacy Commission.

In extreme cases, customers may be entitled to compensation due to civil damages
caused by the data breach.

2. Change all passwords on your social media and personal apps

We previously discussed how to make a strong password and the importance of doing
so. However, in the event a business you patronize becomes a victim of a breach, there
is an increase in likelihood that cybercriminals will crack them.
The solution- Change a strong password into another entirely different strong password.
This applies to social media, and other personal apps such as for banking.

The key here is to not use the same password for all apps. By using a set of different,
strong passwords for every app, you make criminals' lives more difficult — and your data
safer at your hands.

3. Increase monitoring of your financial accounts

When cybercrime happens, a victim’s financial activities are at risk the most. This is
because cybercriminals will use the data they have stolen to access financial accounts,
and either steal the money through unauthorized withdrawals or make unauthorized
charges on behalf of the victim.

By increasing monitoring of your financial accounts, you can immediately report to your
bank that you may have been a victim of identity theft. When that happens, your bank is
obliged to replenish the stolen funds in your account and cancel unauthorized charges
that were made, such as in your credit card.

Source:
¹ https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/911337/npc-jollibee-group-data-breach-
may-be-among-global-ransomware-attacks/story/