What defines a data breach?

A data breach is specifically defined as an incident where unauthorized individuals gain access to confidential or sensitive data. This can involve personally identifiable information (PII), financial records, health records, or other data that is meant to be protected. Such unauthorized access can occur through various means, including hacking, insider threats, or accidental disclosures.

Understanding this definition is crucial because it highlights the importance of implementing robust security measures and protocols to safeguard sensitive information. While issues like a loss of internet connection, software update failures, or hardware malfunctions might impact data operations or access, they do not pertain to unauthorized access or exposure of confidential data, which is the core concern in defining a data breach.