Dutch privacy watchdog says nearly every Netherlands resident has had their data leaked

If your personal data hasn’t already been leaked online, you can assume it will happen soon.

This is the conclusion of the Dutch Data Protection Authority’s (AP’s) latest data breach report. Based on its most recent analysis, from 2022 data, the privacy watchdog says it has received more than 114,000 reports of data breaches after the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect (5 years).

Despite a yearly average of over 20,000 reports, the AP has established that the Netherlands has received more data breach reports than any other country in Europe. This is due to the country’s large-scale digitalization process across a wide range of industry sectors.

Now, looking at the numbers for 2022, the AP says that it has received 21,151 data leak reports via its data breach reporting desk, and even 47 cases of cross-border security incidents involving the information of Dutch citizens.

Here’s a quick breakdown of reports submitted by organizations that suffered a cyberattack leading to the exposure of consumer personal data last year:

· 424 data breach reports were submitted by the health and safety sector

· 160 data breach reports submitted by the information and communication sector

· 149 data breach reports submitted by real estate

· 144 data breach reports (each) submitted by construction and financial services

The AP emphasized the seriousness of the consequences of data leaks and how they can financially impact victims. It highlighted the increased risk of scams and identity-theft-related crimes, with more than 6,000 reports of identity fraud submitted to the country’s Central Identity Fraud Reporting Center (CMI) in 2022.

The watchdog also shared practical tips to help consumers protect against the devastating effects of data breaches. Once individuals receive a data breach notification, they should immediately begin mitigating potential risks:

· Change passwords to online accounts if you are notified that your credentials have been part of a breach or leaked online. Never reuse passwords across accounts.

· Be wary of unsolicited correspondence, including email spam. If your email has been leaked, expect increased spam and phishing attempts that may put your privacy and finances at further risk. Never give your login information, PIN codes, or other sensitive personally identifiable information via unsolicited messages.

· If your ID has been compromised, report it to your local municipality and request a new ID to reduce the risk of identity fraud.

Feeling like you’ve lost control of your personal data or unsure what to do in the aftermath of a breach?

With Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection, you can instantly check if your data was leaked in a more recent or older data breach. The service only uses your email address and phone number to check for exposed personal data linked to your identity online. Once subscribed, you get a full list of organizations that revealed your details and what type of information was exposed, in both public repositories of the dark web.

You also get 24/7 data breach notifications and recommended steps to help you secure your accounts and limit potential damages.