A data breach can occur under many circumstances and for many reasons. A breach can be inadvertent, such as from the loss of paper documents or a portable electronic device, or deliberate, such as from a successful cyber-based attack by a hacker, criminal, foreign nation, terrorist, or other adversaries. Data breaches have been reported at a wide range of public and private institutions, including federal, state, and local government agencies; educational institutions; hospitals and other medical facilities; financial institutions; information resellers; and other businesses