Hacking is trying to get access to unauthorized information on a computer or network. Using a variety of methods, hackers are able to bypass a website’s firewall and gain access to users’ personal data. Some of these hackers can bring down huge networks and cause all sorts of headaches for both website owners and their users. Historically, hackers have caused data breaches resulting in millions of accounts being exposed and personal data being leaked.

In 2013, a company called Adobe informed the public of a privacy breach where a hacker stole more than 153 million user records. Again, in 2016, the website Adult Friend Finder recorded a breach of more than 400 million accounts being exposed. In 2019, Canva, a graphic design company, was hacked, resulting in a breach of 137 million accounts. These breaches of information exposed users’ personal information, such as their names, addresses, accounts, and passwords. Due to the growing number of data breaches, it is always recommended that users do not use the same password for all of their accounts.