Reported data breaches to-date already blast past the 2007 tally

More data breaches have been reported to date this year, than all of 2007. The Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit organization that works to educate the public on Identity theft and fraud, released its recent findings that report 449  businesses, government agencies and universities have reported a loss or theft of consumer data through August 22, 2008.

Their 2007 study indicated the total "reported" data breaches for the year was  446, involving 127 million consumer records. About 90 million of those records were attributed to a single retail chain, TJX, which operates T.J. Maxx stores.

So far this year, at least 22 million consumer records have been the target of data breaches, according to the report.

However, ITRC additionally points out that the true number of records affected could be much higher noting that in 41 percent of the cases the number of consumer records affected wasn't disclosed and they note that many businesses may not be reporting data breaches and/or may not even be aware of them. Often, one data breach can affect multiple companies, as we have seen this year.

To Read the ITRC's report, and find more info go to idtheftcenter.org.

Here's a portion of their press release:

Breaches Blast '07 Record
As of August 22, ITRC's list surpasses 446 documented breaches

San Diego, CA (August 22, 2008):  Today, the total number of breaches in on the Identity Theft Resource Center's 2008 breach list surpassed the final total of 446 reported in 2007, more than 4 months before the end of 2008.  As of 9:30 a.m. August 22nd, the number of confirmed data breaches in 2008 stood at 449.  The actual number of breaches is most likely higher, due to under-reporting and the fact that some of the breaches reported, which affect multiple businesses, are listed as single events.  In the last few months, two subcontractors became examples of these "multiple" events.  In one case, the customers and/or employees of at least 20 entities were affected by a breach that the ITRC reported as a single breach event.

To read the full press release click here