PII covers information that identifies people, making its collection, storage, and disclosure central to privacy protection and breach response.
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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.
The data leak exposed personal data of 100m US citizens, resulting from a misconfigured database made accessible online
The encrypted messaging service said it will share users' IP addresses and phone numbers with authorities when requested.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) federal agency announced earlier this month that health and personal information of more than three million health plan beneficiaries was exposed in the MOVEit attacks Cl0p ransomware conducted last year. [...]
How to protect personal data Partner Content For people who haven't personally experienced them, terms like data leak or data breach may seem unfamiliar and foreign - much like visiting a new destination abroad.…
In a major policy reversal, the popular messaging app Telegram has announced it will give users' IP addresses and phone numbers to authorities in response to valid legal requests in an attempt to rein in criminal activity on the platform
Embattled CEO Pavel Durov Says Telegram Will Released IP Addresses, Phone NumbersEmbattled Telegram CEO Pavel Durov signaled a more cooperative relationship with law enforcement, telling users Monday the messaging service will provide IP addresses and phone numbers "in response to valid legal requests." Durov faces criminal charges in France.
Maybe a spell in a French cell changed Durov's mind In a volte-face, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov announced that the made-in-Russia messaging platform will become a lot less cozy for criminals.…
Telegram will now share users' phone numbers and IP addresses with law enforcement if they are found to be violating the platform's rules following a valid legal request. [...]