A data breach is the worst form of security threat that could happen to the IT system of an organization.
Breaches and other forms of security lapses are costly, not only in terms of money but also in terms of customer loyalty and trust. Quick identification and response can help you prevent any security threat from happening and focus on the goals of building customer confidence.
But how do you identify any attempts of security threat? Read through the post to learn about the early signs of data breaches in the company.
What is a Data Breach?
A data breach is a security system violation where protected, confidential, and sensitive data are viewed, copied, shared, used, or stolen by unauthorized parties. A data breach is one of the common and most expensive cybersecurity threats globally- and they are more frequent than others.
Types of Data Breaches
Most companies are at risk of experiencing a data breach, regardless of how strong their security system is. Here are the different types of data breaches you can experience.
1. Stolen data and information.
Errors are inevitable in any undertaking in life and human can make them at any time. Having staff leave their phones, computers, or any important files in places they should not and getting them stolen is common in companies.
From a simple password glimpse to misplacement of a storage device can lead to exposure of company information to malicious parties and can cost them a lot of money.
2. Man-In-The-Middle Attack.
This is a form of a data breach where an intruder intercepts a conversation between two entities or parties to eavesdrop or alter the message secretly. MITM may use the information to steal login data or personal information, login details, sabotage the communication, spy on the information, or corrupt the data.
3. Ransomware.
Ransomware is when you are suddenly notified that your system is hacked. In this scenario, the perpetrator will inform you that they can fix it and not expose your details to the public after paying a certain amount of money.
Companies should implement risk management systems to ensure no release or deletion of important files and information.
4. Phishing and spear phishing.
If you’ve ever gotten a notification claiming to be from one of the services you subscribe to, but the message looks unusual, then you have experienced phishing. This is a form of a breach where the attacker sends an email claiming to be a legitimate company, but their message sounds odd and forceful with several grammatical and spelling errors. Phishing lures its targets into performing a particular action, such as downloading an attachment or clicking a link.
Early Signs of Data Breaches in an Organization
Look out for the following signs in your IT systems to identify if your company is being hacked.
A. Critical file disruption.
Once cybercriminals get access to your company’s network, they may change, modify, replace, or delete important files as they try to conceal their trace. Most of the time, these disruptions are done in minutes and can be hard to detect.
And without an active company security monitoring system, these signs can go undetected for a long, causing serious losses to the company.
B. Blocked user accounts.
Being denied access to one’s account can be a sign of a successful phishing breach where a hacker has obtained users’ logins and changed the credentials. Those who are affected by this breach are advised to immediately notify their contacts and IT experts of the same.
Using a multi-factor authentication process backed by artificial intelligence is one of the methods to prevent blocking user accounts.
C. Abnormal computer behaviors.
If you realize that the computer is behaving in an unusual manner, this could show something is wrong. Pop-up messages, antivirus notifications, cursor moving abnormally across the screen, and unknown tools in the browsers are some of the common indications of a compromised system.
When these happen, users are advised not to take any action as hackers expect that in order to gain access to your system.
D. Slow network and device performance.
Another eminent data breach is when your system or software program suddenly crashes or freezes down. This behavior may be a result of malware and virus corrupting your files, eating your system resources, or monitoring your activities.
Conclusion on Data Breach
Data breaches are inevitable in any organization or company. Early detection is key in preventing or salvaging your systems from the impact.
Also, the malware uses a huge amount of data and network bandwidth, which leads to computers and software going slow.