Data Breach Aftermath is Stressful
During my career as cybercrime investigator, I have come across the devastating impact of data breaches on individuals and organizations. In this blog, we’ll discuss that what is data breach, how does it happen and how to protect ourselves. Although data breaches are a growing concern in today’s digital world, but what exactly is data breach, and how can it impact our life is the question of the day.
What is Data Breach?
To better understand that what is data breach just imagine a secure vault where companies store their confidential information, like credit card details, user names, passwords, or addresses. Someone breaks into this vault and gains unauthorized access to this sensitive and confidential data. Resultantly that data is breached out of that vault. Now move on and consider that instead of that secure vault similar confidential information is stored in a computer. Someone does not physically breaks in but remotely gains access to that data. This can happen accidentally or having malicious motive. But whatever the case may be, below are different types of data which are targets of cybercriminals:
Personal Information:
Personal information that may include name, address, Social Security number, phone number, and email address of the victim are number one target of cybercriminals.
Financial Data:
While discussing data breach, financial data including credit card details, bank account numbers, and other financial information are also prime targets for cybercriminals.
Medical Records:
As a result of a successfull cyberattack, cybercriminals also target victim’s medical history and other sensitive data related to your medical insurance are valuable in the black market for misuse and for other malicious purposes.
Company Information:
A business entrepreneur must also recognize and consider its company a potential target of data breach. Because a company has a lot of corporate data which are of interest to the cybercriminals for data breach attacks. The data which may be of interest to cybercriminals include customer data, intellectual property, or trade secrets e.t.c.
How Does Data Breaches Happen?
Data breach is possible using various methods by exploiting vulnerabilities in a network security system. However, cybercriminals use following common methods to achieve their targets:
Data Breach through Cyberattacks:
Data breach is actually a type of cybercrime therefore it can be achieved by executing various types of cyberattacks. The main target is to steal personal and sensitive data and to make it possible cybercriminals need to gain unauthorized access to network and computer system. Therefore, they attack a network by executing following most common types of cyberattacks:
Hacking is baseline of cybercrimes and the most common type of attack which any cybercriminal may attempt. The first type of attack that a cybercriminal may launch is hacking for gaining unauthorized access to it.
Cybercriminals also use deceptive emails or websites to defraud the target. This type of deceptive messages, emails or websites may result in revealing personal information and clicking deceptive links may download malware for further attacks or malicious activities.
In case of attempt for data breach, cybercriminals may also send malicious software like viruses or spyware which will infiltrate into the target network or device and result into breach of data.
- Ransomware Attacks
This is a type of blackmailing the victim on basis of the stolen data. Resultantly criminals threaten the victim for data breach as ransom.
Data Breach through Insiders:
Normally employees and other trusted persons within an organization expose sensitive information. This exposure may be intentionally or unintentionally, either because of negligence, ignorance, malicious intent, or under some threat or blackmailing.
Data Breach through Web Servers:
Since most of the sensitive information is stored on webs servers, therefore, cybercriminals may also attack web servers. Both in-house and outsourced web servers which are hosted through vendors or service providers are potential targets of these attacks. In such cases weaker security firewalls or vulnerabilities in the web servers can put data at risk.
Data Breach through Physical Theft of Devices:
There have been instances where the devices like laptops, smartphones, or storage devices containing sensitive data are stolen. If proper security measures like encryption or password protection are not activated on those stolen devices then those devices are vulnerable for cyberattacks.
What are Consequences of Data Breaches?
There can be severe consequences of a data breach and can have far-reaching effects. Below are some of the effects that I have noticed as a result of data breach.
Financial Loss:
With the evolution of online banking and smart banking apps, it has become very common to handle our bank accounts from our devices. Smart banking apps have the capability to configure more than one bank accounts, credit cards, debit cards in it. You may suffer huge financial losses if the device which contains all this information is configured is compromised.
Identity Theft:
Both Digital and physical identity are equally sensitive and very important to be secured. Hence these two are hot targets for cybercriminals. To get access to identity, data breaches are stepping stones. After identity theft the cybercriminals will use your information for opening new accounts and commit crimes with your name.
Discredit the Credit Score:
As all of us know that financial worth of an individual is judged through his credit ranking. After identity theft the cybercriminal may obtain bank loan in your name, do financial frauds, and misuse your bank account without your consent. This will result into making you discredit and worthless in the bank records and making it harder to secure loans and mortgages in future.
Emotional Distress:
Aftermath of a data breach can be stressful and time consuming because it is very difficult to deal with it and recover the breached data.
How to Protect Data Breaches?
Similar to other types of cybercrimes, following are few steps which can be taken to protect ourselves and to minimize risk of becoming a victim of data breach:
Use Strong Encryption:
Encryption is considered the ideal technique to prevent data breach. All types of sensitive data whether that is residing in system or is transmitted through network must be encrypted to avoid breach of data even in case of any hacking.
Use Strong Password:
Not only any online account but smart devices are also vulnerable to cybercriminals. Therefore, both accounts and physical devices must be secured using strong passwords or PIN codes.
Multi Factor Authentication (M.F.A):
An additional authentication process is M.F.A. which requires additional verification steps besides only passwords. These additional steps may vary depending upon system configuration such as biometrics verification or one time password (OTP).
Phishing Scams Identification:
Phishing is another very common method which is used by cybercriminals for data breach. If you receive any email or message from an unknown source / sender then special attention should be given to its verification prior to opening it. Therefore, I would recommend that any unknown or suspicious links or attachments in emails or messages must be verified before clicking it.
Regularly Update Software and Systems:
Software development companies are always researching ongoing breaches and vulnerabilities in their software and operating systems. They regularly develop updates and patches to plug loop holes. Therefore, we should keep our operating systems, applications, and security software up to date with the latest updates and patches.
Devise Strict Access Control Rules:
Within an organization special brain storming should be done to devise roles of legitimate users. Only such permissions and access should be granted to each user which they are supposed to. Moreover, sensitive data must be kept under strict prohibited control to avoid data breach in case of any unforeseen event happens. Particularly user accounts of all such employees who leave the organization must be blocked immediately because those accounts and their access to the system puts eminent threat to the organizations.
Sensitize Users about Data Breach:
Not all users on a network can always be cybercrime savvy. Therefore regularly conduct refresher sessions to keep users of system and network up to date regarding ongoing threats. There should also be a plan to educate them regarding the procedures to avoid cyber attacks and remedies if something happens. There should be a written policy of what to do and what not to do and a policy to report any suspicious activity. All such policies should be handy to everyone and ideally displayed across the organization.
Notice Anomalies of Data Breach:
Either you are an individual who is operating an online bank account or you are user of a network, you should be vigilant regarding activities in your accounts. Only a network security auditor or network security manager cannot monitor and detect all suspicious activities on a network. Hence every user should regularly monitor their accounts to identify and respond to suspicious activities or any other unusual patterns that they notice.
Vulnerability of Public Wi-Fi:
As all of us know that hundreds of people are simultaneously connected to the same public Wi-Fi at a time. Which makes it easier for cybercriminal to breach data while being user of same network. Therefore, I would recommend to avoid use of a public Wi-Fi networks for sensitive transactions e.g sharing of passwords, credit card information or online banking.
Data Breach Response Plan:
It is a common phrase about computer network that “no network is 100% secure”. Therefore, if you are an individual or running a corporate network, you should proactively develop an incident response plan. This plan should also be tested in advance for its effectiveness to mitigate the impact of an attack.
Additional Resources to Stay Informed about Data Breach
As we have discussed above that we should keep ourselves will informed about threats and best practices regarding data breaches and cybersecurity, following are some online resources which regularly update latest threats and best practices:
- The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework: https://www.nist.gov/cyberframework
- The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA): https://www.cisa.gov/
- https://www.naumanbodla.com/upcoming-and-emerging-cyber-threats-staysafeonline/
Conclusion
In this blog we have discussed regarding data breach and proactive measures that can be taken to reduce risk of becoming a victim of data breach. The key to protect sensitive and valuable information is by staying vigilant and informed. Data breaches can have far reaching consequences, including financial loss, reputational damage, and legal liabilities.
By understanding what is mentioned above under the head of How Does Data Breaches Happen? and by following the steps mentioned under the head How to Protect Data Breach?, you can significantly reduce risk of becoming a victim to data breach. Always keep in mind that protection of your data is not just the responsibility of organization but you should also keep yourself vigilant, well informed and responsive to secure yourself and your accounts from any data breach.
To conclude, I would say that data breach means unauthorized access, disclosure, or access to sensitive and confidential information. It normally happens through cyberattacks, insider threats or general exposure to cyber world and results in severe consequences.
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