A data breach is when information is accessed without permission. This can be caused when data is leaked from the organisation by accident. Consequently, this can hurt a business tremendously by affecting its reputation and having to spend a lot on damages.
Information is becoming more digitised as technology progresses, so cyberattacks are increasingly common. Organisations and Businesses are the prime targets for cybercriminals, mainly due to the fact that they have large amounts of information that can be sold on the dark web. For example, hackers want this information to steal money or compromise identities. Targeted attacks can be carried out by hacking weak passwords, exploiting system vulnerabilities, targeting malware attacks and drive-by downloads.
Okay, so we know what a data breach is and how it happens, but would you know when it occurs? Or what signs to look out for?
Detecting a breach quickly and responding in a timely manner can make a significant difference to how much it will cost your business. According to a Ponemon Institute report, it takes an average of 187 days for businesses to detect a data breach.
There are a few tools and signs that can be used to detect suspicious activity on your network.
Here are a few signs that your infrastructure may have a data breach:
- Alerts from malware protection or notifications that the services have been disabled
- Strange user activity, like logins at weird times from unusual locations or from several different locations
- Repeated system or application crashes
- Reports from contacts or customers saying they received strange emails/messages
- Unusual pop-ups, redirects, or changes to browser configurations
Tools that can help:
- Firstly having Business IT security measures in place can help significantly. PCW Solutions offer 24/7 service for any emergencies as part of our IT Security plan. For instance, our team will monitor and defend your system against threats in real-time to keep your business running smoothly
- Appointing a DPO (data protection officer) to oversee any data protection practices
- Penetration testing is a good way of finding any vulnerabilities in your system the same way a hacker would. It’s good for rooting out problems before using new applications or networks
Without having the correct security in place, different areas of your IT infrastructure can be vulnerable to a data breach. Contact PCW Solutions for more information on how we can protect your business.
Read our last article on Upcoming Cybersecurity Trends in 2021