Publication
Legal Alert – Practical Lessons from Recent Data Security Breaches
by Timothy J. Toohey
Recent data breaches at popular Internet sites, including the theft of millions of user passwords by hackers at business networking site LinkedIn and dating site eHarmony, are a timely reminder of the substantial financial and other consequences businesses potentially face from unauthorized access to private data. Although the exact costs for large breaches such as the theft of the 8 million LinkedIn and eHarmony passwords, allegedly obtained by Russian hackers, are difficult to determine, a recent study estimates that the average cost of breaches involving less than 100,000 records is $194 per capita, including costs of detecting and reporting the breach, notifying and assisting consumers, and opportunity costs such as turnover of existing customers.
About Snell & Wilmer
Founded in 1938, Snell & Wilmer is a full-service business law firm with more than 500 attorneys practicing in 16 locations throughout the United States and in Mexico, including Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego, California; Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; Denver, Colorado; Washington, D.C.; Boise, Idaho; Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Portland, Oregon; Dallas, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Seattle, Washington; and Los Cabos, Mexico. The firm represents clients ranging from large, publicly traded corporations to small businesses, individuals and entrepreneurs. For more information, visit swlaw.com.
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