What is Data Leak and How to Prevent It from Happening?

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - In today’s digital age, data has become one of the most valuable assets for individuals and businesses alike. Unfortunately, this also makes it a prime target for cybercriminals.

Tempo reported that a total of 6 million Indonesian taxpayer identification numbers were allegedly traded for approximately Rp150 million. The notorious Bjorka announced this data leak through his social media account on September 18, 2024.

One should not overlook this issue since data leaks can lead to severe consequences, including identity theft and financial loss. For this reason, understanding what a data leak is and how to prevent it is essential.

This article presents all you need to know about data leaks and the preventive measures you have to take. Read on for more.

What is a data leak?

According to Esri, data leaks refer to the accidental exposure of sensitive data, either physically or digitally, to the public. This may happen due to several causes, such as accidental sharing, misconfigured software settings, or weak passwords.

Data leaks are different from data breaches, despite being used interchangeably. While a data leak is mostly accidental, a data breach oftentimes occurs intentionally and with malicious intent, Abnormal Security explains.

Additionally, although both terms denote unauthorized access to data, a data leak typically involves an internal source exposing information. On the other hand, a data breach is perpetrated by an external party.

While data leaks often occur without malicious intent, the repercussions can be just as damaging. For instance, Abnormal Security notes that leaked sensitive information can lead to identity theft, ransomware installation, and even data breaches.

What Causes Data Leak?

As mentioned earlier, several factors can lead to a data leak, ranging from human error to inadequate security measures. According to Proofpoint and Abnormal Security, some of the most common causes include the following:

1. Human error

This is one of the leading causes of data leaks. Human errors can either be mishandling sensitive data or failure to follow established security procedures.

2. System Error

Errors in the system can inadvertently change the default settings, opening access to unauthorized users and exposing sensitive data. Once exposed, search engines like Google can even index the data, making it easier to find.

3. Misconfigured Infrastructure

Data leaks can be a result of misconfigured infrastructure. This problem ranges from having the wrong settings or permissions to an outdated software version.

4. Weak Security Protocols

Weak security measures make sensitive data prone to accidental leaks. Therefore, organizations need to implement robust security protocols.

5. Open-Source Files and Repositories

There is a possibility of leaks if you use open-source files and repositories. People can exploit sensitive data in public repositories by gaining unauthorized access to it.

How to Prevent Data Leak

Here are some effective ways to prevent data leaks, as highlighted in Abnormal Security and Proofpoint:

1. Regular assessment and audit security

Regularly reviewing and updating your organization’s security protocols helps identify potential vulnerabilities before they lead to data leaks.

Furthermore, classifying data is essential to help you discover employee permission misuse.

2. Encrypt Sensitive Information

Encryption involves translating data into another code, ensuring the protection of sensitive information. If data is accidentally exposed, it remains unreadable to unauthorized users.

3. Restrict Data Access

Sensitive information can be accidentally exposed due to unnecessary access. Therefore, implementing role-based access control is required to ensure that sensitive data are only accessible to those who need it.

4. Eliminate old data

During your regular audit security, you can delete old data to reduce the risk of your organization getting leaked.

5. Employee Training

Since human error is among the major causes of data leaks, regular employee training on data protection and security awareness is essential. Training can cover topics such as phishing attacks, social engineering, and ways to spot malicious emails.

6. Use Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Tools

DLP software helps monitor and identify data to prevent unauthorized access or leaks. These tools can detect when sensitive data is being shared improperly and even effectively block the transfer.

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