TECH BYTE: How to Respond to a Data Breach

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The popular online language learning platform, Duolingo, is the latest victim of a data leak.

If you’ve ever used it to learn a new language or earn a certification, cybercriminals could have some of your personal information.

The recent data leak has impacted more than two million of the platform’s users.

The thieves made off with both their names and e-mail addresses.

Security experts with KnowBe4.com say they expect to see hackers take advantage of this in the coming months by using phishing scams.

They could pretend to be with Duolingo, and send a fake e-mail, claiming that you need to change your e-mail address or password with the platform.

KnowBe4 says the cybercriminals could also use that personal information they stole to target you without even mentioning Duolingo, and pretend to be with another app you use.

The good news is, there are things you can do to protect yourself – not just in this case, but if you’ve been a target of another data breach.

KnowBe4 security experts remind you to think before you click.

Don’t let the cyber crooks catch you off guard and make you click impulsively.

The security awareness training site also advises to be on the lookout for any e-mails or messages that are sent outside of regular business hours.

Spelling and grammatical errors are other red flags. You should even double check the sender’s e-mail address itself.

In general, it’s always a good idea to use strong passwords.

Be sure to use a different password for each app and website you use.

You can also check out HaveIBeenPwned.com to see if your e-mail address is in a data breach.