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Data breach

UK //ˈdeɪtə briːtʃ// US //ˈdeɪtə briːtʃ// Pronunciation

Definition

Unauthorized access to confidential information.

Listen to definition

In simple words: A situation where private information is accessed illegally.

Examples

• The company reported a serious data breach last night.
• To prevent a data breach, they implemented stricter security measures.
• After the data breach, customers were notified about the risks.
• A data breach can lead to significant financial losses for businesses.
• He learned about the data breach from the news report.

Usage notes

Used mainly in technology and security contexts. It's formal and not used in everyday casual conversation.

Grammar pattern

noun + noun

Memory hint

Think of 'data' as information and 'breach' as a hole; imagine a hole in a data vault.

Collocations

• major data breach
• recent data breach
• data breach notification
• prevent data breach
• report data breach

Synonyms

• information theft
• data compromise
• cyber breach
• security incident
• data leak

Common mistakes

• Confused with 'data leak', which can imply accidental exposure.
• Using 'breach' alone without specifying 'data' can be too vague.
• Overusing in non-IT contexts, like general conversations.