Home / Technology / Tech News / Global data breaches expose 320 million people since September: Report
Among the major incidents, digital scans of 153 million US driver's licences were reportedly leaked, with the records allegedly being offered for sale on a Russian cybercrime forum on the dark web
The increase in data breaches comes as organisations face a broader rise in cyber threats. (Image: Shutterstock)
Rimjhim Singh New Delhi 6 min read Last Updated : Oct 09 2026 | 12:46 PM IST
Data breaches worldwide have exposed the personal information of at least 320 million people since September, according to a report by Nikkei Asia . The findings highlight the growing scale of cyberattacks, with criminals increasingly focusing on stealing personal information rather than disrupting company systems or demanding ransom payments.
The trend comes as organisations worldwide face a rise in cyberattacks . According to Check Point Research's September 2026 Cyber Threat Landscape report, organisations faced an average of 2,803 cyberattacks a week in September, up 48 per cent from a year earlier. Meanwhile, Microsoft's Digital Defense Report 2026 found that 63 per cent of intrusions involved data theft.
India, meanwhile, remains among the five Asia-Pacific (APAC) countries most targeted by advanced persistent threats (APTs), according to cybersecurity firm Kaspersky's Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT). Security firms have also flagged the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) to automate different stages of cyberattacks.
Nikkei Asia examined publicly disclosed data breaches worldwide involving at least 100,000 victims. Its analysis covered company and government announcements, information from research firms and claims made by attackers, provided the affected companies had acknowledged the breaches.
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