Beware the rise of the digital doppleganger

Data breaches in large organizations have made the headlines in recent years and that’s led to a huge increase in the amount of personally identifiable information being traded online.

According to UK credit report company CreditExpert there's been a 300 percent jump in the amount of personal information being traded online since 2012.

The company has produced an infographic analyzing this information. Interesting facts include that passwords are now more valuable than credit card details. The value of a username and password has continued to rise since 2010 whilst those of debit and credit card information are declining.

Despite this, 5 percent of Britons still use the same password everywhere and 10 percent never bother to change their passwords. The graphic shows how one stolen password can be used to expose other sites and ultimately steal an identity. Hackers can then go on to attack others in the victim’s social media networks.

The full infographic including tips on how to keep yourself safe is below.

Image Credit: Minerva Studio / Shutterstock