Leakage can also result from a third-party intent, such as a disgruntled employee who has shared confidential information. An example of this would be a low-level hacking forum user who leaked the personal data of over 533 million Facebook users in 106 countries. This happened in 2019.
Fortunately, there are steps companies can take to minimize the risk of informational breaches:
- Well-trained and educated employees.
First, organizations must ensure that their personnel is properly trained and knowledgeable about data security.
- Utilize an Orthodox System
Second, they need to establish a system that allows employees to have timely access to the data they need. One common software is AT&T archiving, which could work on text message recording for smartphones, regular feature phones, and many more.
- Supervising Messaging Features
Third, they need to have a method to monitor and restrict the use of certain features. This will help them to take measures to prevent data leaks.
Information leakage is the uncontrolled release of confidential and sensitive data. Several reasons can cause it, including human error or third-party intent. This can affect several people and organizations and generate considerable damage. It is a term that describes an accidental data breach.
Cybercriminals may utilize this information to:
- Commit fraud.
- Blackmail a person.
- Sell it to a third party.
Some examples of information that is vulnerable include credit card information, social security numbers, and bank records. A malicious hacker can actively exploit software and hardware vulnerabilities to steal this information.
When information is deliberately organized, there are two main goals: damage the state or a specific enterprise and gain a competitive edge. These two objectives can have a devastating impact on society as a whole and can harm the organization’s reputation.
If a company has not developed a cybersecurity plan, it is susceptible to attacks by cybercriminals. Such malicious actors target communication mediums, such as phishing emails, with malicious code. They then intercept and decrypt the emails. Additionally, they sell information on the dark web, which can be used to scam consumers and commit identity theft.
These are the common reasons why information leakage happens. To learn how you can prevent it from occurring, continue reading the infographic below brought to you by the well-known AT&T message archiving company, TeleMessage: