Michigan Residents 49% Less Likely to Experience Data Breaches Than Average American

National ranking: Most at-risk states

The state that sees the highest risk level is Alaska, scoring 15.79 in the ranking. This is largely due to reporting 914.7 cybercrime victims per 100k, which is 354% higher than the national average (201.4 victims per 100k residents). The state also saw 0.27 data breaches per 100k, and has a data protection law score of one.

Next is Maine, scoring 22.57 out of 100 for safety. The state also holds a data protection law score of one, but saw more data breaches than Alaska at 1.14 per 100k residents – 356% above the U.S. average (0.25 breaches per 100k).

In third is Wyoming (26.33 out of 100). The state saw 234.34 cybercrime victims per 100k over the last 12 months, and 0.34 data breaches per 100k. Like Alaska and Maine, the state also holds a data protection law score of one.

Massachusetts is fourth, scoring 30.39. The state recorded 0.92 data breaches per 100k residents, 268% over the average of 0.25, and 199.79 cybercrime victims per 100k. However, the state boasts a decent data protection law score of three.

Fifth is Arizona, with a safety score of 31.81 out of 100. The state has a cybercrime victim rate that’s almost one-third (32%) above the national average at 265.17 per 100k, and also saw 0.17 data breaches per 100k population.

Nevada sits sixth with a score of 32.52, largely due to a high number of cybercrime victims at 328.27 per 100k, and 0.12 data breaches per 100k. The state holds a data protection law score of one.

Next is New York at 33.25 out of 100, with 183.61 cybercrime victims and 0.28 data breaches per 100k residents. Illinois is eighth (33.34 score) with 200.25 cybercrime victims per 100k, and a data protection score of one.

Florida places ninth with a safety score of 33.45, recording 223.29 cybercrime victims per 100k residents – 11% above the national average of 201.4 per 100k. The state also saw 0.19 data breaches per 100k residents.

Rounding out the ten most at-risk states is Georgia, scoring 35.37 out of 100. With 0.25 data breaches per 100k and 177.11 cybercrime victims per 100k, the state also holds a data protection score of one.

The ten states with the highest data security risk 

Overall, the state with the highest number of data breaches per 100k is Maine, at 1.14, while the state with the most cybercrime victims per 100k is Alaska, at 914.70.

Discussing the findings, Stepan Solovev, CEO & Co-founder of SOAX, said: 

“Every state faces unique data protection risks that are influenced by local legislation, digital infrastructure, and how personal data is handled. Add to this that the number of particularly vulnerable groups – such as remote workers, healthcare providers and small businesses – differ regionally, and it’s no surprise that some areas hold a higher data protection risk than others.

“It’s important to know the risk level in Michigan as awareness is the first step towards defense. If you’re in a vulnerable area, ensure you’re protecting your personal information: strengthen your passwords and enable multi-factor authentication, keep your security software updated, and educate yourself and those around you about the warning signs of data breaches and phishing.”

Methodology: 

A total of three factors were used to assign each state a risk score out of 100: cybercrime victims per 100k population (weighted 35%), data breaches per 100k (weighted 35%), and data protection law scores (weighted 30%). Statistics are from 2024.

Sources:

• https://www.bls.gov/oes/2024/may/oessrcst.htm
• https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/index.htm

Total state ranking