The Data Protection Authority's annual report for 2024 shows that Norwegian businesses reported 3,191 personal data breaches—a 13 percent increase from the previous year. The most common breach by far—37 percent of all reports—was personal data being sent to the wrong recipient, usually via email. Hacking attacks increased by 39 percent, system errors by 164 percent, but errors in the «send» field topped the list.
What does this mean to you?
Three measures that noticeably cut risk — pause for one second and check the recipient address before sending sensitive information, use the «To» field last (not first), and never send personal identification numbers, health information, or salaries in plain text without encryption.
Inspired by: The Norwegian Data Protection Authority