If 2024 taught us anything, it’s that no company – no matter how big or small – is safe from data breaches.
And while cyberattacks happen, the way companies handle these incidents can make or break their reputation.
Sadly, this year showcased some of the worst responses we’ve ever seen.
The worst data breaches of 2024
From blaming users to staying silent, these companies fumbled their way through data breaches that affected millions.
Let’s dive into the most poorly handled incidents of the year and what they mean for the rest of us.
Data breach #1 – 23andMe: Finger-pointing
As reported by TechCrunch, Genetic testing company 23andMe experienced a breach that exposed the genetic and ancestry data of nearly 7 million customers.
Hackers used brute-force attacks to compromise thousands of accounts and scrape data from millions more.
How did 23andMe respond?
By blaming their customers. The company claimed users hadn’t secured their accounts properly. This finger-pointing didn’t sit well with affected users or authorities, leading to lawsuits and investigations in the U.K. and Canada.
The fallout was immense: a 40% staff layoff and questions about the future of their vast genetic data bank. Lesson learned? Blaming victims is never the right move.
Data breach #2 – Change Healthcare: Slow-motion disaster
A cyberattack on Change Healthcare, a key player in U.S. healthcare billing, caused nationwide chaos. The company’s network went offline, leaving Americans unable to access medications and hospitals unable to process payments.
Things got worse when it was revealed the breach stemmed from a lack of multi-factor authentication on a basic user account. Change Healthcare paid a $22 million ransom—only to pay another ransom later for the same stolen data.
And the worst part?
It took seven months for the company to admit that over 100 million people had their private health information stolen. The delay added insult to injury, making this one of the most poorly handled breaches of the year.
Data breach #3 – Synnovis: Healthcare disruption
In the U.K., pathology provider Synnovis faced a ransomware attack in June that crippled healthcare services for months. Blood tests, surgeries, and outpatient appointments were delayed or cancelled, leaving patients in limbo.
The Qilin ransomware group took responsibility, claiming to have stolen 400GB of patient data. Experts suggested the breach could have been avoided if Synnovis had implemented two-factor authentication.
To make matters worse, Synnovis staff were left overworked and under-resourced, leading to strikes in December. The breach highlighted just how devastating a single attack can be on essential services.
Data breach #4 – Snowflake: Snowball effect of hacks
Cloud computing giant Snowflake became the epicentre of a series of hacks affecting corporate clients like AT&T and Santander Bank.
Hackers used malware to steal login details and exploited Snowflake’s lack of mandatory multi-factor authentication to access massive troves of customer data.
Snowflake initially downplayed the incidents, only later rolling out multi-factor authentication by default. By then, the damage was done, showing how reactive security measures can be too little, too late.
Data breach #5 – Columbus, Ohio: Suing the messenger
When Columbus, Ohio suffered a ransomware attack, the city claimed hackers couldn’t use the stolen data. But a security researcher found evidence that sensitive data—including Social Security numbers and records of domestic abuse survivors—was in the hands of criminals.
Instead of addressing the breach, the city sued the researcher for reporting it. The lawsuit was widely criticized as an attempt to silence whistleblowers rather than fix the underlying issue.
Eventually, the city dropped the suit, but the damage to public trust was already done.
Data breach #6 – MoneyGram: A numbers game
Hackers targeted money transfer giant MoneyGram in September, stealing Social Security numbers, transaction details, and even law enforcement data.
MoneyGram initially said little about the breach, only later admitting customer data had been stolen. Even now, the company hasn’t disclosed how many people were affected, leaving customers in the dark.
Data breach #7 – Hot Topic: Staying silent after a 57-million spill
U.S. retailer Hot Topic made headlines for all the wrong reasons when 57 million customer records were leaked online in October. The breach included sensitive data like email addresses, physical addresses, and partial credit card details.
Yet, despite the massive scale, Hot Topic has not publicly acknowledged the breach. The silence speaks volumes, showing how some companies still think ignoring a problem will make it go away. Spoiler: It won’t.
What can we learn from 2024’s data breaches?
If there’s one recurring theme in 2024’s data breaches, it’s that bad handling makes a bad situation worse. Here are some takeaways:
- Transparency Matters: Admit breaches early and communicate clearly. Silence only breeds distrust.
- Blame Game Is a No-Go: Don’t point fingers at users. Take responsibility and focus on solutions.
- Security Basics Save Lives: Multi-factor authentication and proactive monitoring could have prevented many of these breaches.
- Protect Sensitive Data: Companies handling healthcare or financial data must have airtight security measures in place.
2024 may have been a banner year for poorly handled breaches, but it doesn’t have to be this way.
With stronger security practices and better crisis management, companies can protect their users—and their reputations.
Until then, let’s hope 2025 isn’t just a repeat of these same mistakes.
