Five things to know about data breaches in 2023

Fewer data breaches have been reported in the first nine months of 2023 than in the past two years, but there’s not much else to celebrate. The information for millions of individuals continues to be at risk. Here’s a look at breaches reported through the end of September, compared with the same period in previous years.

1. Hundreds of incidents have been reported so far this year.

The number of breaches reported through September topped 500 for the third year in a row.

2. More individuals' information is getting lost or stolen.

The number of individuals affected in 2023 through September is more than the previous two years combined.

3. The number of affected individuals is concentrated at the top.

The top 25 breaches, when ranked by people affected, reported in the first nine months of the year accounted for:

4. Providers aren't the only victims of cyber incidents.

Business associates and health plans are increasingly juicy targets.

5. Hackers are now the biggest threat.

The vast majority of data breaches stem from hacking or IT incidents.

Breach information comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. Only breaches affecting 500 or more individuals are listed. Numbers are preliminary and reflect data posted as of Oct. 5.