A data leak occurs when sensitive information is exposed outside of a business network. This often results from a misconfiguration, momentary lapse in security protocol or third-party vulnerability. The most dangerous types of data exposure are personally identifiable information (PII) or trade secrets that put a company’s competitive advantage at risk. Leaked PII can be used for ransomware attacks, identity theft or sold on the dark web. Trade secrets expose valuable internal activity, including plans, documentation of scrapped or unfinished projects and source code for proprietary software and technology.
A company’s most valuable assets are its customers, intellectual property and future business plans. When this data is inadvertently or purposefully leaked, financial losses and reputational damage follow. In addition, violations of regulatory laws such as GDPR and HIPAA may result in fines and other repercussions.
The most common causes of data leaks include lost or stolen devices such as laptops, USB storage, and mobile phones; third-party vulnerabilities in cloud services; server misconfigurations; and human error. Organizations must prioritize strong security practices and monitoring of their internal attack surface and third-party networks.
The best way to stop a leak is to prevent it before it happens. An inventory of your sensitive information will help you identify which areas are most vulnerable. For example, enforcing least privilege policies and limiting access to critical data to only those who need it will reduce the risk of accidental or malicious leaks. UpGuard provides continuous discovery and threat detection to ensure your business is protected from external attack surfaces, as well as those of third-party providers.