What is a security breach?

A security breach is an incident that results in confirmed, unauthorized access to and/or disclosure of sensitive, protected, or confidential data. It is a violation of a system's security policy. This can involve personal data (like social security numbers or financial information) or corporate data (such as trade secrets or intellectual property). The consequences can range from data theft and modification to complete system compromise, affecting an organization's integrity, confidentiality, and availability.

A. Hacking the "entire Internet" is a fictional concept; a security breach is a specific incident affecting a particular system or organization, not a global network.

B. An "Internet breakup" is a nonsensical term in this context. It does not describe a cybersecurity incident and has no established technical meaning.

1. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). (2020). Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations (NIST Special Publication 800-53 Rev. 5). Appendix A, "Glossary," p. A-6. Defines a breach as "the loss of control, compromise, unauthorized disclosure, unauthorized acquisition, or any similar occurrence..."

2. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). (2016). Regulation (EU) 2016/679. Article 4(12). Defines a 'personal data breach' as "a breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data..."