Data leakage is a different scenario from a data breach. In a data breach, more often it’s an implied attempt from the hackers or intruders aiming to breach the information systems security.
Whereas data leakage as a process is accidental, wherein the internal users might be accidentally leaking the data into the unauthorized or public domain.
Similarly, any unintended actions in the user environment can also lead to data leakage.
Imagine a scenario, wherein the business email is accessed from a public computer, and the user fails to log out from the account, in such a scenario, the email can be accessed by any other users, and it is a kind of data leakage which could lead to more challenges.
The other such scenario is how an employee could be emailing some sensitive information to the wrong correspondence, and it can reach the hands of unintended recipients.
Such problems need to be dealt with strategically, wherein the business and its users practice data loss prevention strategies to help in information leakage prevention.
Some of the data loss prevention strategies integral to the process of cybersecurity measures that can help in overall improvement are:
1. Identification of Critical Data
Businesses need to classify the information in their business systems for various levels of security and confidentiality.
Information leakage prevention can be the planned basis on the sensitivity of the data and the need for information to be classified.
Using data loss prevention tools can be resourceful for securing the data erase, and towards securing the data.
Classifying the data into various degrees of sensitivity across the departments and functions of the business can help in easier identification and actionable process for data loss prevention.
In the initial stages, the classification can be according to the concise policies of the organization, prioritizing the small modules, and creating awareness among the data handlers about the security and sensitivity of the data.
2. Monitoring Access and Activity
Among the other critical steps in data leakage prevention is close monitoring of traffic across the information systems networks.
Controlling the systems and devices from which the information systems are being accessed in the internal environment is one of the important steps toward information leakage prevention.
Having an equipped system wherein the scope for automated discovery, mapping, and tracking of the deployed across the business infrastructure leads to enhancements to cybersecurity and prevention of data leakage.
Deployment of Data Activity Monitoring (DAM) solutions can be more resourceful in information leakage prevention, by working on unauthorized actions detection.
Though the DAMs are generally the focal points for user-level access elements, the database activity too can be monitored from the system.
Usage of both solutions in concurrence can support wider protection of the systems, and block any kind of suspicious users, thus leading to information leakage prevention.
3. Utilize Encryption
One of the best practices for mitigating the risks of data leakage and having a sound information leakage prevention practice is to apply encryption solutions.
Across the systems and communication mediums like emails, and handling data through external storage solutions, one of the significant ways is to work on data encryption.
There are numerous levels of encryption models, and depending on the sensitivity of the information, and the impact factor upon any data leakage, the need for encryption standards matters.
For highly sensitive information, applying full-scale encryption standards and keeping the data encrypts all-time is important.
Whereas for the information which is moderately sensitive or not so high impact but important, the grading of encryption can be the basis of the communication channel.
For instance, though the information shall remain in an unencrypted format in the servers, only during the email or other form of digital transfer of document, the encryption can be used for information leakage prevention.
The data loss prevention in the encryption practices is reasonably good, as in the instance of any unauthorized access of data from the systems or the public access to the data to others the risk levels are proportionately low.
4. Securing the Network
Be it the internal users or accessibility to the internal information systems, the need for enhanced security practices for data loss prevention is important.
Using robust kind of information security systems, data leakage prevention by data leakage or by data breaches can be prevented for managing the information leakage prevention.
No external systems can be used for accessing the business systems, controlling the networks to monitor who is accessing and access taking place only from trusted source devices can mitigate the risks of data leakage.
There are many patterns wherein the levels of security can be managed, and periodically inspecting the systems to identify the breach factors and ensure information leakage prevention practices are adopted.
5. End Point Security
More often data leakage takes place because of end-point security limitations. If the endpoints from where the data is accessed are not secure, the challenges of data leakage are more.
Despite the data being dispatched using the secured and encrypted medium, post the data download into the systems or devices, if the users do not take adequate care of such systems and practices, it can help in mitigating the risks and data loss prevention.
Training the employees periodically on the data leakage implications, cybersecurity practices, and the need for data loss prevention techniques.
The users need to keep themselves abreast of emerging challenges and have the right kind of inputs in place for managing the endpoint security.
Summarizing the above-mentioned strategies, the data leakage issues must be addressed, and there are adequate systems in place for businesses to support any kind of data loss prevention.
Many of the comprehensive cybersecurity solutions like Acronis cyber-protect can help in securing the systems from any kind of data leakage and support overall security.
To know more about the Acronis cyber-protect, reach out to the customer support team from Exabytes Singapore for more information and better deals.
With plans starting as low as S$5.79/license/month, Exabytes Singapore provides one of the lowest Acronis Cyber Protect Pricing options.
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