Do the real numbers tell a dangerous story?
According to a new report from Symantec, we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the true extent of data breaches. In the report, Symantec alleges that the reported 429 million identities exposed in 2015 are but a small piece of the whole picture, and estimates the real number to be closer to half a billion in that year alone.
What this shows is that organizations hit by breaches are choosing short-term relief over long-term pain. Does it sound better to say information related to 2 million customers was exposed than 4 million? Of course. But, have they considered that the effectiveness of reputation repair efforts after the fact can easily be crushed if it’s revealed that public numbers don’t line up with actual findings? It’s working for now, but as we’ve seen time and time again in other situations it’s only a matter of time before the truth comes to light.
For more on this concerning issue, give Symantec’s infographic a look:
The BCM Blogging Team
www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com