Data security is not as simple as locking the file into the cabinet for data protection of sensitive information in today’s digital environment from theft and risk, particularly with the increased use of cloud computing.
Even if one takes every precaution while handling aspects of data security online accounts and identifying information, there are various ways to breach data protection that information might expose to data theft or data leaks.
According to Statista- Worldwide online users had 52 million data security breaches in the second quarter of 2022, which is a 56% decrease from the same period last year.
The fourth quarter of 2020 saw approximately 125 million occurrences of data security breaches, which was the highest number recorded throughout the measurement period.
Data security breaches are still very prevalent in the Asia Pacific region as well. Several businesses have already experienced data breaches in 2022.
Singapore, for instance, was in sixth place globally for having the most data security problems the previous year.
Data Security: What Are the Threats & Risks?
The practice of data protection of company data and avoiding data loss due to illegal access is known as data security.
This entails the aspects of company data security from assaults that might alter or damage it, as well as data security assaults that can encrypt or destroy it, like ransomware.
Here are a few threats and risks to know about data security.
1# Everywhere there are daily threats.
Losing the phone is equivalent to losing the wallet, keys, and other personal belongings. People don’t know how much private information is stored on their phones; its theft or discovery might have disastrous data security consequences.
Fortunately, there are data protection steps that may be taken to lessen this risk.
2# Hackers Find Hacking Simple.
Breaking into a data protection system isn’t the most challenging aspect of hacking. Hackers breach data security and can access any network or machine with a few attempts.
Related: Must Know Data Breach Statistics and Facts
3# Unsecure network perimeter
The information must pass through a number of data security procedures before entering a company’s network.
However, if your data protection system is unable to first isolate potentially hazardous data, this might allow the bad data to enter the infrastructure and cause significant data security damage.
4# Attacks through Social Engineering
Phishing is a well-known example of this kind of data security assault. Attackers send users messages that appear to be from a reputable source but are actually harmful.
Inadvertently clicking on a dubious link by one of the employees gives hackers access to the company network.
5# Cleansing Data Issues
To give users accurate, comprehensive, and correctly structured data from the warehouse stores, an automated data security cleansing procedure joins the fray.
But if such technologies are not set up properly, data cleansing will produce inconsistent data and data security issues.
An algorithm may misclassify sensitive material as normal and distribute it to a large audience if it fails at the data classification step.
6# Unauthorized metadata alterations
People should take one more step towards data protection of their metadata, namely sanitization, as even the most basic sensitive information, such as the identity of a document’s author, its modification history, and the type of software, might result in a possible data security breach in the wrong hands.
If they construct an offer for the consumer by duplicating a prior file, unauthorized modifications to the metadata might also cause data security problems.
If the document isn’t cleaned up, the potential client will be able to see the history of revisions and discover the adjustments made to the initial budgets or scope of work for the former client.
7# Unintentional Exposure
A significant portion of data security breaches is brought on by the careless or unintentional release of sensitive data rather than a deliberate attack.
Employees frequently share, allow access to, mishandle, lose, or disclose valuable data either accidentally or because they are unaware of security procedures.
8# Insider Threats
Insider threats are employees who unintentionally or purposefully compromise the data security of a company’s data. Insider danger comes in three different forms:
- Non-malicious insiders are users who have the potential to damage data protection by mistake, ignorance, or because they are not aware of security protocols.
- Insiders with malicious intent are those that intentionally try to breach personal information and steal data or hurt the company for their own advantage.
- Insiders who have had their accounts or credentials hacked by an outside attacker are known as compromised insiders. The attacker can then engage in harmful data security behavior while posing as an authorized user.
Related: Important Cyber Security Statistics & Latest Trends
9# Ransomware
Data security in businesses of all sizes is being threatened by ransomware. The malware, known as “ransomware,” targets business computers and encrypts data, rendering it worthless without the decryption key.
Attackers typically post a message known as a “ransom note” demanding money in exchange for releasing the key, but in many situations, even doing so is useless and the data is destroyed.
Related: Best Practices Against the Rise of Ransomware Attack
10# Injection of SQL
Attackers frequently employ SQL injection (SQLi) to breach data protection and obtain unauthorized access to databases, steal information, and carry out undesirable actions.
It operates by inserting harmful code into a supposedly harmless database query.
11# Loss of Data in the Cloud
To make collaboration and sharing of information simpler, many firms are shifting data to the cloud.
However, it becomes more challenging to manage and avoid data loss when data is moved to the cloud.
Data is accessed by users across insecure networks and personal devices. It is just too simple to breach data security and unintentionally or deliberately share a file with strangers.
Conclusion
Data security is not entirely secure until businesses get the help of experts like Exabytes, which can help them prevent data breaches and help increase data protection.
Data protection and prevention may be improved by using a variety of data protection techniques and technologies, such as Exabytes Acronis Cyber Protect, which offers a single solution to protect your data from all types of online threats.
Contact us for more details about Acronis Protection.
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