The largest data breach in 2024 exposed approximately 2.9 billion records through a single incident at National Public Data, a U.S.-based data broker. This event marked a record-breaking moment in cybersecurity history, dwarfing previous breaches by a factor of five. Despite a slight decrease in total breach events, victim notifications jumped 211% from 2023, reaching 1.35 billion notices as mega-breaches dominated the landscape.
Largest Data Breach Key Statistics
- The National Public Data breach exposed approximately 2.9 billion records in April 2024, making it the largest single data breach on record.
- U.S. data compromises totaled 3,158 events in 2024, down 1% from 3,202 events in 2023.
- Victim notices increased 211% year-over-year, rising from 419 million in 2023 to 1.35 billion in 2024.
- Five mega-breaches containing 100 million or more records accounted for 83% of all victim notices in 2024.
- Global exposed accounts reached 5.5 billion in 2024, up from 730 million in 2023, representing a 650% increase.
The Largest Data Breach Event: National Public Data
National Public Data, a U.S. data broker, suffered the single largest breach of 2024 with approximately 2.9 billion records compromised in April. The leaked database reportedly contained names, dates of birth, addresses, and Social Security numbers.
This breach alone exceeded the next largest event by more than five times. While some duplicates and data quality issues were noted in subsequent analyses, the scale remains unprecedented in cybersecurity history.
The NPD incident represents a fundamental shift in breach dynamics, where single points of failure at data aggregators create exponentially larger risk exposures than traditional corporate breaches.
| Breach Event | Record Count | Industry |
|---|---|---|
| National Public Data | 2.9 billion | Data Broker |
| Ticketmaster Entertainment | 560 million | Entertainment |
| Advance Auto Parts | 380 million | Retail/Financial |
| Change Healthcare | 190 million | Healthcare |
Total Data Breach Statistics in 2024
The U.S. Identity Theft Resource Center reported 3,158 data compromises in 2024, marking a marginal 1% decrease from the 3,202 events recorded in 2023. However, this slight reduction masked a dramatic shift in breach severity.
Victim notices surged 211% to reach approximately 1.35 billion in 2024, up from 419 million the previous year. This counterintuitive pattern reveals that fewer breaches resulted in substantially more exposed individuals.
Five mega-breaches accounting for 100 million or more victim notices each drove 83% of the total notification volume. This concentration indicates that a small number of catastrophic events shaped the entire 2024 breach landscape.
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Compromises | 3,202 | 3,158 | -1% |
| Victim Notices | 419 million | 1.35 billion | +211% |
| Mega-Breaches (≥100M) | Not reported | 5 | — |
Global Financial Impact of Data Breaches
The IBM Ponemon Cost of a Data Breach report documented a global average breach cost of $4.88 million in 2024, representing a 10% increase from the $4.45 million average in 2023.
Financial services organizations faced even steeper costs, with breaches averaging $6.08 million in 2024. This sector-specific premium reflects the sensitive nature of financial data and heightened regulatory requirements following incidents.
The escalating costs correlate directly with the emergence of mega-breaches, which compound expenses through extended remediation timelines, regulatory fines, legal settlements, and long-term reputational damage beyond immediate technical response costs.
Record Exposure Across Industries
A Surfshark study tracked global breach-exposed accounts rising from approximately 730 million in 2023 to over 5.5 billion in 2024. This represents a 650% year-over-year increase driven primarily by several massive single-event breaches.
The U.S. healthcare sector alone reported 276.8 million individuals had protected health information exposed in 2024, more than doubling the 133 million PHI records exposed in 2023. Even heavily regulated industries proved vulnerable to large-scale compromise.
The concentration of exposure in a handful of security incidents demonstrates how centralized data repositories and third-party processors create systemic risk amplification across entire sectors.
| Sector/Region | Records Exposed | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Global Aggregated | 5.5 billion | 2024 |
| U.S. Healthcare PHI | 276.8 million | 2024 |
| U.S. Healthcare PHI | 133 million | 2023 |
Most Targeted Industries by Data Breaches
Financial services surpassed healthcare as the most breached industry by record count in 2024. The Advance Auto Parts breach compromised approximately 380 million records, making it the largest financial sector incident of the year.
Healthcare moved to second place despite suffering significant breaches including Change Healthcare’s compromise of 190 million records. The HIPAA Journal noted that 80% of healthcare data compromise cases in 2024 stemmed from cyber-attacks rather than system failures or human error.
This shift toward deliberate attacks reflects increasingly sophisticated threat actors targeting industries with high-value personal and financial data, while organizations struggle to keep pace with evolving attack methodologies and security vulnerabilities.
| Industry | Ranking (2024) | Notable Breach | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Services | 1 | Advance Auto Parts | 380 million |
| Healthcare | 2 | Change Healthcare | 190 million |
| Data Brokers | — | National Public Data | 2.9 billion |
FAQ
What was the largest data breach of all time?
The National Public Data breach in April 2024 exposed approximately 2.9 billion records, making it the largest single data breach on record. The compromised data included names, dates of birth, addresses, and Social Security numbers from the U.S. data broker’s database.
How many data breaches occurred in 2024?
The U.S. recorded 3,158 data compromises in 2024, down 1% from 3,202 in 2023. However, victim notices increased 211% to 1.35 billion as five mega-breaches accounted for 83% of all notifications, indicating fewer but larger incidents.
What is the average cost of a data breach?
The global average cost of a data breach reached $4.88 million in 2024, up 10% from $4.45 million in 2023. Financial services organizations faced higher costs averaging $6.08 million per breach due to regulatory requirements and sensitive data.
Which industry had the most data breaches in 2024?
Financial services became the most breached industry by record count in 2024, surpassing healthcare. The Advance Auto Parts breach exposed 380 million records, while healthcare’s largest breach (Change Healthcare) affected 190 million records.
How many records were exposed globally in 2024?
Global breach-exposed accounts reached over 5.5 billion in 2024, up from 730 million in 2023—a 650% increase. The surge was driven primarily by several massive single-event breaches, particularly the National Public Data incident.
Sources:
Wikipedia: List of Data Breaches
IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024
Identity Theft Resource Center 2024 Annual Report
HIPAA Journal Healthcare Data Breach Statistics