PII covers information that identifies people, making its collection, storage, and disclosure central to privacy protection and breach response.
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Background for this topic.
PII (personally identifiable information) is information that identifies a person directly or can do so when combined with other data. Direct identifiers include names, government identification numbers, passport details, and email addresses; indirect identifiers can include birth dates, precise location, or unique account attributes. The term is used broadly in security, but its legal scope varies: laws and regulations may use different definitions, such as “personal data” under the GDPR or protected health information under HIPAA.
PII is a high-value target because unauthorized access or disclosure can enable identity fraud, targeted phishing, or privacy harm. It may be exposed through compromised applications, cloud storage, logs, endpoints, or third parties. Practitioners should inventory and classify it, collect and retain only what is needed, restrict access, and protect it with encryption or tokenization where appropriate. Monitoring and tested procedures for investigating exposure are important, while retention, deletion, and notification duties depend on the applicable jurisdiction and sector.
Nearly 137,000 People Affected in 2023 Ransomware Attack on Maryland-Based HospitalA ransomware attack against Berlin, Maryland-based Atlantic General Hospital that affected the personal information of 137,000 individuals in 2023 has led to a $2.25 million preliminary settlement of a consolidated proposed federal class action lawsuit.
1.3 Million Individuals Being Notified Their Social Security Numbers Were StolenBackground check firm Jericho Pictures, which does business as National Public Data, is notifying 1.3 million individuals that their personal information was stolen via a December 2023 breach of its systems. The stolen information was listed for sale on a cybercrime market beginning in April.