Guest Post was written by Sean Mortberg, an aspiring tech writer.
Last year, 143 million Americans became victims of the now infamous Equifax data breach. One of the Big Three credit reporting agencies, Equifax drew heavy media scrutiny for reports that they knew of system vulnerabilities months before they said they did. These allegations and evidence produced by researchers illustrating Equifax’s poor protection of sensitive consumer information have led to numerous class-action lawsuits by consumer attorneys as well as state and municipal governments.
The Equifax case should serve as a reminder that the systems in place are still often vulnerable to cyber attack, failure, and compromise. More and more data is created and stored every day, and the walls that secure sensitive consumer information are constantly being tested and improved upon. Still, events like the Equifax data breach have always been a threat and will continue to threaten the security of consumers, companies, and even governments.
In the United States, data breach laws vary from state to state. If you have been the victim of a data breach or if you simply want to know what your best course of action is in the event you do become a victim, it is important to familiarize yourself with your state’s data breach laws.
Information covered by data breach laws includes everything from social security numbers, email addresses, and credit card numbers to medical and bank account information. While most states require notification of breach immediately and “without unreasonable delay,” laws differ widely on many parameters, including the method by which consumers are to be notified of their data being compromised. All fifty states, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington D.C. vary in the strictness of these laws.
Learn more about the data breach laws where you live and throughout the United States with the infographic below, provided by Digital Guardian.
What do you think of this infographic? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
