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What is Your PII Data?

Your PII is basically any information used for identification, such as:

 Name
 Birth date
 Social security number
 Addresses
 Telephone numbers
 Passwords
 Payment methods
 Education information
 ID numbers
 Insurance information
 Medical records

Look familiar? It’s likely that you’ve emailed many of these items in one form or another.

It’s important to point out that even seemingly unrelated PII data can be pieced together like a puzzle; an
enterprising cyber-criminal can use that information to complete an online profile of you to impersonate
you or others online. Little details like street addresses, name of spouse, and other bits of information
commonly used for security questions are common targets for hackers with the time and patience to sift
through your information.

And, considering the types of accounts protected by these security questions: social media accounts,
online banking, ecommerce sites, it’s not hard to see how PII data discovery could be a gateway to other,
more serious breaches.

What’s My PII Worth?

Believe it or not, consumer data and businesses alike have a very high monetary value. Not just because
a hacker can potentially access your bank account and credit card numbers (although that’s always a
risk), but because your information can fetch a pretty penny on the dark web and online black market.

On average, a consumer’s passwords sell for around $80, while even small details like purchase history
can sell for $20. Credit card numbers can sell for as little $5, while passports might fetch up to $2,000.

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