- Public administration: Government institutions are a prime target for data breaches and require an extensive security infrastructure to protect their systems. Some malicious reasons for hackers and cybercriminals to steal government data include espionage and financial gain.
- Financial institutions: Banks, credit unions, and lending companies are favorite targets of cyber criminals because they store confidential financial data. Criminals can access this data and use it for various frauds or scams.
- Healthcare organizations: Healthcare facilities handle confidential health records of patients, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and other private information. Data breaches can expose patients to identity theft.
- Educational institutions: Student and employee records in schools, colleges, and universities can be subject to data breaches. Exposing this information could lead to severe financial loss or identity theft.
- Retail companies: Retailers and e-commerce stores also store sensitive customer data, such as credit card numbers and passwords. Criminals who steal this information from data breaches could use it to make fraudulent purchases.