Major Security Flaw Put Over 100 Companies at Risk: Is Your Data Safe?

Oracle, a major technology company that provides software and services to thousands of businesses, discovered a serious security flaw in their systems. A cybercrime gang exploited this weakness to hack into more than 100 organizations. Google's security team helped notify the affected companies that their servers were potentially vulnerable to this attack. This affects you indirectly.

If you are a customer of any company that uses Oracle's technology, your personal information stored by those companies could have been accessed by hackers. The problem is that Oracle's software is used by banks, healthcare providers, retailers, and many other businesses you interact with every day. The companies affected have not all been publicly named.

Here is what you should do right now. First, monitor your financial accounts closely for any unusual activity. Check your bank statements and credit card charges weekly for the next few months. Second, watch for suspicious emails or text messages claiming to be from companies you do business with.

Hackers often use stolen data to send convincing fake messages. Third, consider placing a fraud alert on your credit report by contacting one of the three major credit bureaus. This makes it harder for criminals to open accounts in your name. For ongoing protection, enable account alerts from your bank and credit card companies so you get notified immediately of any transactions. Use unique passwords for each important account, especially for banking, email, and healthcare portals. A password manager can help you keep track of different passwords without writing them down. Stay skeptical of unexpected emails asking you to click links or provide personal information, even if they look official.