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Accidental data exposure and misconfiguration incidents

Definition

Accidental exposure incidents document personal data left open by mistake: unsecured databases and storage buckets, misconfigured access settings, misdirected email and publishing errors.

Included

  • Databases or cloud storage left reachable without authentication
  • Personal data published on a website or in a document by error
  • Email or post sent to the wrong recipients
  • Access settings that let one customer see another's data

Excluded

  • Exposure caused by an attacker, which belongs under hacking and intrusion
  • Security research findings where no personal data was reachable
Accidental exposure and misconfiguration incidents over time
Documented incidents per year of occurrence. 2026 to date.
Unit: incidents · Source: Data Incident Index v2026.09 · Counts reflect documented incidents, not prevalence · *2026 to date

Incident records153

Nov 2026DigiCert data breach exposes customer information, identity documentsReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netx.combleepingcomputer.comNov 2026UK: Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust data breach exposed health details of 7,715 staffReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netfalmouthpacket.co.ukNov 2026Lab 1 warns breach data now exposes thousands more firmsReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netlab-1.comsecuritybrief.co.nzNov 2026CSX data breach exposes employee informationReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netwtol.comOct 2026Student SSNs and Medicaid IDs Exposed in Frontline School Software BreachReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netallaboutcookies.orgOct 2026AU: Northern Territory Health backtracks on claim only five patients impacted by RDH privacy breachReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netabc.net.auOct 2026University of Copenhagen data breach exposes data of 525,000 peopleReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netnews.ku.dkbleepingcomputer.comOct 2026Vibetech Database Exposes 13.7M Records Including Assortment of Old BreachesReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.nethackread.comexpressvpn.comOct 2026UK: Commercial market research and data-gathering firm in the medical space leaked health dataReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netliberatingresearch.comupguard.comOct 2026‘A treasure trove of information:’ Cybersecurity specialist says sensitive McMinnville records exposed onlineReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netyahoo.commcminnvilleoregon.gov+1Sep 2026Error on North Carolina jury duty website exposed people’s social security numbers, medical records, moreReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netnccourts.govwbtv.comSep 2026Not just Korea: Google leaked identifying info for sex crime victims across the worldReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netenglish.hani.co.krjoecadillic.substack.comSep 2026Natural Resources Wales confirms data breach due to human errorReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netnation.cymruAug 2026VT: Local VA warns of possible data breachReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netva.govkeenesentinel.comAug 2026A massive cache of Valve data has reportedly leaked online, appearing to include Portal 2’s elusive beta build and a potential weapon from Half-Life 2: Episode 3ReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netreddit.compcgamer.comAug 2026‘Close Enough’ Data Breach Notifications Create ExposureReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netbakerlaw.comAug 2026Connecticut says data from 41,000 Medicaid members exposed in portal breach; the second portal incident this yearReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netwfsb.comportal.ct.govAug 2026New Jersey Federal Judge Dismisses Data Breach Class Action Against Background Check CompanyReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netshorenewsnetwork.comAug 2026NHS admits data breach by sending patient data via pagersReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netbbc.co.ukmirror.co.uk+1Jul 2026Weaponizing Exposed DataReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netransom-isac.orgJul 2026A-list directors, actors and celebrities exposed in Tribeca film festival data leakReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netexpressvpn.comJul 2026AU: Partnered Health Data Breach Exposes Patient Records at Family ClinicsReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.neteftm.comJul 2026Elon Musk promises to delete all data following a leak of users’ confidential informationReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netzamin.uzx.comJul 2026NG: Zenith Bank, Others To Be Arraigned Over Alleged Data BreachReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netcrimefightersng.comJun 202667 million Thais exposed in massive data leak, parliament launches probeReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netJun 2026Instagram Recovery Tool Bug Exposed 20,225 Accounts to Password Reset AbuseReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.nethackread.comJun 2026JP: Hokkaido hospitals data leak may hit 510k, HDDs sold online blamedReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netwww3.nhk.or.jpMay 2026French Health Payments Breach Exposed ID Data, Fuels Fraud FearsReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.neteurope-infos.frMay 2026UK Visa Portal spilled thousands of applicants’ passports and selfies online - and hasn’t fixed the leakReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netreddit.comgov.uk+2May 2026Thousands of DICOM servers exposed due to shameful lack of basic security measuresReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.nettrendmicro.comhipaajournal.comMay 2026Medicare portal database exposed health providers’ Social Security numbersReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netmedicare.govwashingtonpost.com+1Apr 2026Fitness tracking under scrutiny as Strava military data leak exposes personnelReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netinews.co.ukdigitaltrends.comMar 2026Meet Claude Mythos: Leaked Anthropic post reveals the powerful upcoming modelReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netfortune.commashable.comMar 2026Florida Medicare members’ data exposed as Mirra Health improperly outsourced records overseasReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netmirrahealthcare.comcw34.comMar 2026Sears Exposed AI Chatbot Phone Calls and Text Chats to Anyone on the WebReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netwired.comyoutube.com+1Mar 2026Viral ‘Quittr’ Porn Addiction App Exposed the Masturbation Habits of Hundreds of Thousands of UsersReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.net404media.coMar 2026Inside the NZ police breach that exposed 1000 sensitive criminal case filesReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netstuff.co.nzFeb 2026Leaked Odido data exposes sensitive informationReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netnltimes.nlrtl.nlFeb 2026Discord’s age verification data has a frontend leak - now what?ReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netinterestingengineering.comFeb 2026Data Protection Failures on Moldovan Portals Leave Citizens at RiskReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netmoldovalive.mdtvpworld.comFeb 2026Several Dutch agencies suffer major data breachReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netapa.azen.apa.az+1Jan 2026BD: 14,000 journos’ personal data leaked onlineReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netobserverbd.comJan 2026UK: Secret gagging order should not have been used to cover up Afghan data breach, Sir Ben Wallace saysReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netindependent.co.ukJan 2026Personal Details of Thousands of Border Patrol and ICE Agents Allegedly Leaked in Huge Data BreachReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netthedailybeast.compjmedia.comJan 2026Healthcare Firm Handing $2,000,000+ To Customers After Data Breach Exposes ‘Highly Confidential’ Information of 512,000 PeopleReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netcrdatasettlement.comangeion-public.s3.amazonaws.com+1Dec 2025NL: Nuenen accidentally leaks addresses of 1,000 asylum center opponentsReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netomroepbrabant.nlnltimes.nlNov 2025‘Trickery and f…ery’: Agency under fire over senior manager’s ‘serious’ privacy breachReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netstuff.co.nzNov 2025Court of Appeal reaffirms MFSA liability in data leak case, orders regulator to shoulder costsReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netmaltatoday.com.mtNov 2025A Wiltshire police breach posed possible safety concerns for violent crime victims as well as prison officersReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netgazetteandherald.co.uktelegraph.co.ukNov 2025Massive Great Firewall Leak Exposes 500GB of Censorship DataReportedAccidental exposure and misconfigurationDataBreaches.netdti.domaintools.comgbhackers.com
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