The internet presents a convenient way to share data. But when you share sensitive data, you run the risk of a data leak. A data leak is the accidental exposure of sensitive information. The leak differs from a data breach typically resulting from a planned cyberattack. Companies can prevent data leaks using safe data sharing practices that protect information. Read on to learn what your organization can do to keep data safe.
Why is Data Leak Prevention Important?
Data leaks are a focus for cybercriminals. Many of them monitor accounts, just waiting for a leak to occur. Accidental exposure can provide access to financial information, trade secrets, personal identification information, and private records. When a malicious party accesses sensitive information, there’s no saying what they will do with it. They may visit dark web forums, put the information up for sale, or publish it freely. Or they may publish stolen data on dark websites or ransomware blogs to make the information public.
What are Common Data Leak Causes?
Data leaks can happen for various reasons. Understanding common data leak causes can help address the issue. Here are some issues to be aware of:
- Misconfigured software settings: Security settings that are either not implemented or deployed with errors can cause security gaps that leave data unprotected.
- Software vulnerabilities: Unpatched security makes it easy for sensitive data to slip through the cracks.
- Weak passwords: Weak passwords make private information vulnerable to cybercrime attacks. Multi-factor authentication can keep systems protected.
- Insider threats: Excessive privileges increase the risk of internal threats. It’s scary, but even a trusted employee can steal data from a company’s system.
- Social engineering: Social engineering uses deception or manipulation to coerce individuals into divulging confidential information.
- Physical theft: An increased focus on cybersecurity makes it difficult to account for lost or stolen devices. Companies must keep hardware protected.
- Spear-phishing: Spear-phishing occurs when a cybercriminal sends an email requesting financial or sensitive information. These emails often seem legitimate and innocent, but they can have serious implications if sensitive information is transmitted.
- Botnets: Botnets are a network of private computers infected with malicious software. They can take over your computer and access important data.
- Personal Mobile Devices: Employees may store sensitive data that malicious users can easily access.
- Remote Work Environments: Remote work environments mean more data is sent over the internet, increasing the risk of falling into the wrong hands.
Safe Data Sharing Practices for Avoiding Data Leaks
Evaluate Third-Party Risk
Companies risk data leaks when they pass sensitive information on to third-party vendors. Organizations can increase security by ensuring their vendors comply with HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI-DSS regulatory standards. Use risk questionnaires to assess potential threats when partnering with new vendors.
Expanding organizations may find it challenging to maintain risk management regulations for third-party companies that may also experience growth spurts. Scaling vendor risk management as a managed service could streamline the process. Companies can achieve this goal by leveraging automation and protecting their businesses if a data leak occurs.
Limit Access to Sensitive Data
Organizations must identify sensitive data and classify it according to strict security policies. They should restrict privileges to ensure the data is accessed only by those who need it. Systems must be implemented to evaluate permissions and ensure access isn’t granted to unauthorized parties. The data should categorized into different levels of sensitivity. Only trusted staff members should have access to highly sensitive data.
Enforce Network Access Control
Companies must monitor network access to protect data from unauthorized users. They must review the communication coming into the network to ensure it’s coming from trusted sources. They must integrate data leak prevention solutions to ensure information isn’t compromised when a leak occurs. A Network Access Control (NAC) solution may help organizations keep data safe. It denies access to noncompliant devices, places them in a quarantined area, or limits their privileges to prevent infections.
Data Encryption
Data encryption is a valuable anti-data leak tool. It encrypts data to ensure access to authorized people. Cybercriminals will be unable to decipher sensitive data. Use portable encryption because it ensures automatic data encryption if it leaves the confines of your network. However, advanced cybercriminals may be able to translate data encryption. Therefore, it should be combined with other anti-leak strategies to protect information.
Secure Endpoints
Endpoints are physical devices that connect to a network. Examples include mobile devices, desktop computers, servers, embedded devices, IoT devices, and virtual machines. The increased adoption of remote work environments has made securing these endpoints harder. Organizations can protect endpoints with extended endpoint security. Employees with company iPhones should use security recommendations that notify them when a data leak has compromised their information.
Firewalls and VPNs protect endpoints, but many cybercriminals have learned to bypass them. They should be combined with additional security measures for optimal efficiency.
Utilize Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Software
Data loss prevention applies to data leak prevention. It ensures the security of sensitive data from misuse or exposure to unauthorized parties. A DLP program performs the following functions:
- Identifies Data: Use AI to identify data and streamline processes.
- Secures Data: Deploy DLP software at the network’s end to ensure data transfers align with secure data policies.
- Secures Endpoints: Endpoint DLP monitors real-time user behavior to ensure transfers occur between authorized parties.
- Protect Archived Data: The software uses regulatory compliance, access control, and encryption to protect archived data.
- Monitors Active Data: DLP tools will monitor data and flag suspicious behavior.
- Detects Data Leaks: Data leak technology will scan for data exposures for fast remediation if a breach occurs.
Employee Awareness Training
Employees must be aware of the best safe data sharing practices. Workers are often vulnerable to social engineering tactics. They may fall for phishing emails and similar scams. Organizations can prevent employee-related data leaks by including cybersecurity training in their onboarding framework. They must continue offering training to ensure workers are current on the latest cybersecurity trends. Employee training will keep networks safe from the ground up.
Data leaks may not constitute an outright attack. But they can be just as damaging when sensitive information gets into the wrong hands. Employee training, DLP software, data encryption, access control, secure endpoints, and third-party risk mitigation can protect your system.
Final Words
If we conclude, preventing data breaches has become most important in today’s digital environment. Implementing SOPs in an organization can protect against potential cyber-attack. Secure data-sharing practices also build confidence with clients and stakeholders.
Companies may reduce the risks associated with data leaks by identifying third-party risks, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive data, applying network access control, setting up data encryption, securing endpoints, using DLP software, and conducting employee training.
Taking serious steps today to protect your firm’s reputation and integrity will pay off in the long run. Don’t let anything slip through your fingers.
FAQs
Yes, data leak refers to the accidental exposure of sensitive data, whereas a data breach refers to planned activity by cybercriminals.
Preventing unauthorized access, securing data devices, Using typical passwords, data encryption, DLP software, and updating employer’s training can secure the organization’s data.