Don't Become a Data Breach Victim. Here's How to Protect Your Online Accounts

Last week, Carnival Corporation began notifying consumers of a major data breach that affected nearly 6 million people. The cruise line operator says that the breach occurred in April, with data thieves stealing names, dates of birth, email addresses and other pieces of confidential information.

The average data breach costs nearly $4.5 million, and takes eight months to detect and contain. Even though companies strive to prevent data leaks, your information may already be in the wrong hands. An exposed email address or password can be enough for attackers to start probing the services you use, sometimes weeks or months after the initial theft.

If your information was exposed in a breach, you don't need to panic. But you should act, starting with your most important accounts. Here's how to lock down your accounts and reduce the risk of further damage.

Start with your email account

Your email is...

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