en
data breach
/ˈdeɪtə briːtʃ/
Definition
1
A security incident in which sensitive, protected, or confidential data is accessed, copied, transmitted, stolen, or used by an unauthorized party.
2
An event exposing an organization's data to unauthorized individuals, often resulting from cyberattacks, human error, or system vulnerabilities.
Examples
The massive data breach at the coffee chain meant hackers now knew everyone's secret order: triple-shot espresso with a side of regret.
After the data breach, Dave's browser history became the office legend, proving autocorrect isn't the only villain.
She shrugged off the data breach email like it was just another phishing attempt disguised as bad news.
The data breach turned the CEO's yacht fund into a hacker's vacation slush fund overnight.