A data breach is an incident in which sensitive, confidential or proprietary information is released to an unintended party. This can occur through various means such as hacking, phishing attacks, malware infections, or accidental disclosure of information by authorized individuals. The leaked information may include personal data like names and addresses, financial information like credit card numbers, or sensitive corporate secrets. Data breaches can have severe consequences for the affected parties including identity theft, financial loss, damage to reputation, and legal liabilities.