Attorney General: Record Number Of Data Breaches In New York

The State Attorney General's Office received a record number of data breach notices in 2016.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says the nearly 1,300 data breaches represent a 60 percent increase over the previous year.  Schneiderman says the breaches exposed the personal records of 1.6 million New Yorkers.

The most frequently acquired information was Social Security numbers and financial account information.

“In 2016, New Yorkers were the victims of one of the highest data exposure rates in our state’s history,” said Schneiderman. “The total annual number of reported security breaches increased by 60% and the number of exposed personal records tripled. Hacking is increasingly prevalent – making it all the more important for companies and citizens alike to take precaution when sharing and storing personal data. It’s on all of us to guard against those who try to use our personal information for harm – as these breaches too often jeopardize the financial health of New Yorkers and cost the public and private sectors billions of dollars.

The Attorney General's Office first began collecting information on exposure of personal data in 2005.