The Equifax hack and subsequent data breach is a wild case study that proposes many ethical dilemmas. It proves how important it is for companies to ensure that the information they collect is protected and safe. I believe that Equifax was ethically responsible for ensuring the utmost security for personal data. They failed to protect this sensitive data, and the fallout was catastrophic. Other companies should use the Equifax breach as a blueprint for what not to do when it comes to protecting data but Equifax did do something right after the breach. This is valuable information for other companies to learn from. Equifax pretty much honestly admitted that they dropped the ball and let millions of people down. The CEO Richard Smith immediately personally apologized which is rare. He was vulnerable, and his vulnerability resonated with the public.  The Money Coach University article did a great job of explaining how the way Equifax handled the situation impacted the company and the public response. It was also an advocate for us as internet users and consumers to take responsibility for our data. While companies should be making every effort to stay ahead of cyber threats we must remain vigilant and proactive in protecting our data. There are so many ways for us to protect our own data but it is sad and alarming that we must do so. It is still inevitable that bad people will try to take advantage of vulnerable people and vulnerable information. I think that the Equifax hack and subsequent data breach is horrifying, but that other companies should learn from Equifax’s mistakes and that we as internet users should also recognize how important protecting our data is.