SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Kamala Harris issued a report earlier this week detailing the rising number of data breaches in the state and reminding merchants of their responsibilities under a new state law that requires them to notify her office for any breach involving more than 500 cards, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Last year, 2.5 million Californians were the subjects of 131 digital data breaches, with their private financial, health and other information exposed.

"Data breaches are a serious threat to individuals' privacy, finances and even personal security," Harris said in a statement released by her office. "Companies and government agencies must do more to protect people by protecting data.

Addressing that trend, a new California law requires merchants to notify Harris’ office for any data breach that involves more than 500 cards.

To minimize data loss, Harris offered these recommendations:

• Encrypt digital personal information when moving it from a secure network.
  
• Regularly review and upgrade security controls and training.
  
• When it is suspected that data might have been compromised, send clear notice to the suspected victims.
  
• Legislators should expand existing laws to cover security failures that involve passwords.