On PrivacyRights.org, the Chronology of Data Breaches provides detailed information about incidents where sensitive consumer data has been exposed or stolen. This includes records involving medical information, Social Security numbers, and credit card details. The tool allows users to search and sort breaches by organization, date, or type of data compromised.

Researchers can leverage this data to analyze trends in data breaches over time, identifying common vulnerabilities or patterns in how breaches occur. For example, they can study the industries most impacted or track how breaches correlate with spikes in identity theft incidents. Historical data can help assess the impact of specific regulatory changes or security improvements. Additionally, researchers could examine how companies respond to breaches, offering insight into best practices for crisis management and data security reforms. By analyzing this data, cybersecurity policies and technologies can be refined to protect consumer information in the future.