Is Your Company At Risk Of An Information Leak? Learn The Signs

In today’s digital age, data is one of the most important things to work with. As a result a data breach will affect your business much more than anything else. Sometimes, they can even bring organizations to its knees. Therefore, handling them effectively is imperative under any condition. 

Thankfully, we are here to help you with just that. In this article, we will be looking at some of the most effective and useful means of handling data breaches. Therefore, you must consider following this article in order to understand the nuances of data breaches and how they can be handled.

What Is A Data Breach?

Before we can even understand the markers of data breaches that you need to look out for, we need to understand what is a data breach. Data breach is when a company’s confidential data is leaked out in the public domain. This is the most fundamental explanation of a data breach. 

Data breaches can expose different forms of data, including user, technological, company, etc. Hence, these data breaches primarily depend on the form of data that gets leaked after the breach.

How Data Breaches Occur?

To prevent data breaches, you must have some idea about how they come to be in the first place. This will enable you to understand the avenues you need to ensure they are safe.

Insider breach: In most cases, the breach happens with an insider’s help. This is one of the most prominent forms of breaches that you will come across. This can be a deliberate or a mistake. Therefore, ensure that you have a vigilant team that can help you keep your data under lock and key.

Stolen Devices: Another prominent reason for a data breach is a stolen device. A not-so-secured stolen device is not just a loss of company assets but is also a significant threat to data integrity. People can extract necessary data from these devices and leak it via the internet.

The Weak Links

In almost all data breach incidents, people have noticed some repetitive markers. These are called weak links. We will discuss some of the hints or symptoms of a data breach.  

Here, we will primarily look at some of the weak links in data security. Knowing these will actually help you prevent or secure your data array with more efficiency: 

Weak Credentials: Credentials like usernames and passwords are your first line of defense, and sadly, they are also some of the lowest links to data security. If you are someone who uses a similar password and username for all platforms, you might be in trouble. This makes gaining access easy and hassle-free. 

Compromised Assets: In some cases, breachers bug devices to extract data. This is a more advanced form of breaching. However, as we said a stolen device tends to leave the same effect. Therefore, keep your devices secure and do not give complete access to employees outside your office.

Markers Of Data Breach You Must Know

While many companies focus on external threats like cybercrime, the reality is that the majority of information leaks occur from within the company itself. Factors like employee negligence, insufficient security measures, or inadequate employee training can all contribute to an information leak.

Therefore, it’s crucial for companies to be vigilant and take proactive steps to prevent a potential breach. Here’s how:

Unusual Network Activity

If you notice an increase in outbound traffic or data transfers from your network, it could be a sign that someone is exfiltrating data. Similarly, if you see a large amount of data being sent to an external IP address, it’s worth investigating.

Such activity can be an indicator that someone is exfiltrating data or attempting to gain unauthorized access to the network. As such, it is essential to monitor network activity and investigate any signs of unusual activity as soon as possible. This can help to prevent a potential information leak and minimize the risk of financial loss, reputational damage, and legal consequences.

Changes In Employee Behavior

While it’s not always the case, some employees or former employees may be tempted to disclose sensitive information for personal gain or malicious intent. As such, it’s important to keep an eye out for any suspicious behavior. For example, if an employee suddenly becomes withdrawn or secretive or starts working odd hours, it could be a sign that they’re up to something.

In such cases, it’s important to take proactive measures to identify and address the issue.

One action you can take is to hire a cell phone hacker who can access a device remotely without needing physical access. This will enable them to discover the apps installed on the phone, record VoIP calls, and even save the recordings to view later if necessary.

Data security threats can also come from your own vendors or suppliers, intentionally or otherwise, with fourth-party breaches on the rise. SaaS solutions from Prevalent.net provide additional protection.

Physical Security Breaches

While much of the focus on information security is on digital threats, it’s essential not to overlook physical security breaches. It includes theft, vandalism, unauthorized access, and sabotage. It can have severe consequences for your company, ranging from financial loss to damage to credibility.

For example, an employee could leave a door unlocked, allowing unauthorized access to the building. Alternatively, an outsider could use social engineering tactics to gain access, such as posing as a vendor or delivery person.

To prevent physical security breaches, companies should take a comprehensive approach to security that includes both physical and digital measures. This may involve implementing access control systems, such as keycards or biometric scanners, to limit access to sensitive areas. Companies may also implement video surveillance systems to monitor activity on their premises.

The Bottom Line

An information leak can be disastrous for any company, but by keeping an eye out for the signs, you can take steps to prevent it. All the information given above will help you identify potential vulnerabilities and address them before they become a problem.

Remember, prevention is always better than cure, so don’t wait until it’s too late to take action. Try to put in checks from beforehand to avoid a cascading effect. This will only impede your growth.

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