Some Basic Data Breach Prevention Measures Every Organization Should Know

Data breach is a real and growing concern for private businesses, government agencies, and consumers. Just last year, the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) estimated that over 1,243 security incidents resulted in 5,126,930,507 breached records. This compares to 5,000 reports of breached records in 2015. These new figures illustrate that organizations are more exposed to data breaches today, they also must deal with the consequences. Why are these data breaches becoming more common?

Security threats have become increasingly sophisticated over time. As cybercriminals continue to grow their malicious attacks, it is no longer enough for organizations to simply protect their perimeter defenses. Organizations must shift their focus to include the protection of their internal systems and data in order to avoid costly data breach incidents.

Here are some basic practices on Data Breach Prevention Measures:

1. End-to-End Encryption

Using end-to-end encryption for sensitive information makes it more resistant to cybercriminals. It is a lengthy process that creates multiple keys used to encrypt files or data. This prevents an attacker from decrypting and using the data without either the decryption key or a computer with the right set of keys. This greatly reduces the chances that attackers will be able to obtain your sensitive information.

2. Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) protects against social engineering attacks. All organizations will experience some level of social engineering at some point. Attackers are getting better at crafting realistic phishing assaults and even sophisticated phone scams. MFA is a security mechanism that makes social engineering attacks more difficult. When signing in, it asks for more information like the last four digits of your SSN. If a “user” forgets this information, they can’t access their account.

3. Minimum Vulnerability and Penetration Testing

Regular susceptibility scanning and penetration testing are required to enumerate all network assets and analyze their vulnerability. Organizations should also check for blind spots where malicious code could enter the network undetected.

Cybercriminals are always looking for new ways to steal data and cause financial harm. Adaptability is required to keep ahead of hackers and defend against new attack vectors. Data breach prevention methods are a cost-effective solution to minimizing security threats and managing risk in order to promote safe and healthy business growth.