Identity Theft Resource Center Report: Data Breaches Increase; Victim Rates Drop in Q1 2022

Year-over-Year results indicate a fast start to data breaches in 2022 after a record-setting 2021; more than 90 percent of data breaches are cyberattack related.

SAN DIEGO, April 13, 2022 – Today, the Identity Theft Resource Center® (ITRC), a nationally recognized nonprofit organization established to support victims of identity crime, released its U.S. data breach findings for the first quarter (Q1) of 2022. According to the Q1 data breach analysis, the 404 publicly-reported data compromises in the U.S. represent a 14 percent increase compared to Q1 2021. Q1 2022 is the third consecutive year when breaches have increased compared to Q1 of the previous year. However, despite the breach increase, the number of victims (20.7 million) decreased 50 percent compared to Q1 2021 and dropped 41 percent compared to Q4 2021.

Download the ITRC’s Q1 2022 Data Breach Analysis and Key Takeaways

“Traditionally, Q1 is the lowest number of data compromises reported each year,” said Eva Velasquez, President and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. “The fact the number of breach events in Q1 represents a double-digit increase over the same time last year is another indicator that data compromises will continue to rise in 2022 after setting a new all-time high in 2021. As we mentioned in our 2021 Annual Data Breach Report, we saw an alarming number of data breaches last year due to highly complex and sophisticated cyberattacks that are fueling the dramatic rise in identity fraud. It is vital everyone continues to practice good cyber-hygiene, businesses and consumers, to help reduce the amount of personal information flowing into the hands of cyberthieves.”

Other findings in the analysis include:

• Approximately 92 percent of the data breaches in the first three months of 2022 resulted from cyberattacks. Phishing and ransomware remain the top two root causes for data compromises.
• Continuing a trend from 2021, 154 out of 367 data breach notices did not include the cause of the breach, making “unknown” the largest attack vector in Q1 2022. It also represents a 40 percent increase in the total number of unknown breach causes compared to full-year 2021. While data breach notice updates may include more attack information, the increasing lack of transparency in the notices is a risk to organizations and consumers.
• System & Human Errors represent eight (8) percent of the Q1 2022 data compromises.
• Data breaches resulting from physical attacks such as document or device theft and skimming devices dropped to single digits (three) in Q1 2022.
• The only non-cyberattack-related attack vector in double digits during Q1 2022 was related to email or letter correspondence with 12 instances.
• Healthcare, Financial Services, Manufacturing & Utilities, and Professional Services sectors had the most compromises in Q1 2022.

Later in Q2 2022, the ITRC will launch a free alert service for consumers where individuals can create a list of companies with which they do business. A subscriber will receive an email alert if an organization on the list is added to our notified data compromise database. For more information about the recent breach increase, consumers and businesses should visit the ITRC’s data breach tracking tool, notified.

Anyone can receive free support and guidance from a knowledgeable live-advisor by calling 888.400.5530 or visiting www.idtheftcenter.org to live-chat.

About the Identity Theft Resource Center

Founded in 1999, the Identity Theft Resource Center® (ITRC) is a national nonprofit organization established to empower and guide consumers, victims, business and government to minimize risk and mitigate the impact of identity compromise and crime. Through public and private support, the ITRC provides no-cost victim assistance and consumer education through its website live-chat idtheftcenter.org and toll-free phone number 888.400.5530. The ITRC also equips consumers and businesses with information about recent data breaches through its data breach tracking tool, notified. The ITRC offers help to specific populations, including the deaf/hard of hearing and blind/low vision communities.

Media Contact

Identity Theft Resource Center
Alex Achten
Head of Earned & Owned Media Relations
888.400.5530 Ext. 3611
[email protected]