Data Breach Prevention: How to Avoid (Or What To Do in the Aftermath)

A break-in is a break-in, no matter the purpose behind it.

Whether it’s purposeful, sophisticated hacking (like a home robbery) or human error, the causes of data breaches are diverse and ever-evolving.

So, how can you protect your organization from falling victim to a data breach, or what should you do if one occurs? Let’s explore the ins and outs of data breach prevention and response, and learn valuable tips on safeguarding your sensitive information in the constantly evolving cybersecurity landscape.

What is a Data Breach?

A data breach is a cybersecurity incident in which sensitive, confidential, or protected information is accessed or disclosed without authorization.

This unauthorized access can occur through various means, such as hacking, malware, human error, or physical security breaches. When a data breach occurs, organizations must act swiftly to mitigate the damage, notify affected parties, and enhance security measures to prevent future breaches.

Failing to prevent data breaches can cause big problems.

For individuals, it might mean that someone else is using their credit card or that their personal information is being shared online.

For companies, failing to have solid sensitive data protection can cost them a lot of money, make customers lose trust in them, and even get them in trouble with the law. That’s why it’s so important to take data breach prevention seriously and know how to keep our information safe.

Common Causes of Data Breaches

Before you can understand how to prevent a data breach you need to first understand what causes them!

Human Error

Sometimes, data breaches happen by accident. It’s like when you accidentally leave your house door unlocked, and someone walks in without you knowing.

Digitally, this could happen if someone accidentally sends an email with private information to the wrong person, or if they use a password that’s too easy to guess.

Another common mistake is falling for a phishing scam, like when someone sends you an email or message that looks like it’s from someone you trust, but it’s really a trick to get you to share your personal information.

Malware and Hacking

Other times, data breaches are caused by hackers who are trying to steal information on purpose. They might use something called malware, which is a type of malicious software designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system or network. It can take various forms, like viruses, worms, ransomware, spyware, and adware.

Insider Threats

Not all data breaches come from outside forces. Sometimes, the danger comes from within an organization itself.

Disgruntled employees who are unhappy with their jobs or the company might intentionally steal or leak sensitive information as an act of revenge. Even employees who don’t mean any harm can accidentally cause a breach by being careless with data, like leaving a laptop with confidential files open in a public place.

When it comes to how to prevent a data breach from these insider threats, companies need to have strict rules about who can see and use certain information. They should also keep an eye on what their employees are doing with the data to make sure it’s being handled properly.

Physical Security Breaches

Data breaches don’t just happen online. They can also happen in the real world. Imagine if someone lost their work laptop or phone, and it had important company information on it.

If the wrong person found it, they could easily access that information. Or, think about a burglar breaking into a company’s office and stealing computers or hard drives with sensitive data.

When it comes to preventing data breaches it’s important to have physical security measures in place as well, like locks on doors, security cameras, and alarms. Companies should also have rules about how to get rid of old computers and devices so that the information on them can’t be recovered.

Steps for Preventing Data Breaches

There are several ways to prevent data breaches to keep your personal and company information safe.

1. Establishing a Robust Security Policy

To keep data safe, every organization needs a good security policy and data breach prevention plan. This is like a set of rules that everyone in the company needs to follow to protect information.

The policy should cover everything about how data is handled, who can see it, and how it’s stored. It’s important for companies to keep these rules up-to-date because hackers are always coming up with new tricks.

And, of course, the rules are only good if people follow them, so it’s important for companies to make sure everyone knows the rules and does what they’re supposed to do.

2. Educating Employees

Think of your employees as the first line of defense in protecting your company’s data. Teaching them about potential threats and how to monitor your data and handle sensitive information safely, can help you make it much harder for hackers to get in.

Regular training sessions are key in data breach prevention, covering everything from creating strong passwords to spotting sneaky phishing emails. It’s also a good idea to do practice drills, like sending out fake phishing emails to see if employees fall for them.

3. Implementing Technical Measures

Even with well-trained employees, you still need to have strong technical defenses in place when it comes to how to prevent data breaches.

• One of the most basic steps is to make sure everyone uses strong passwords that are hard to guess and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA), which is like having a second lock on your door. Encryption is another important tool. It scrambles your data, so even if someone gets their hands on it, they can’t read it without the key.
• Firewalls and intrusion detection systems (IDS) monitor who’s coming in and out and raise the alarm if they see anything suspicious. These tools can help prevent unauthorized access to your network and alert you if someone tries to break in.

4. Conducting Regular Security Audits and Assessments

Regular security audits and assessments are like a health checkup for your company’s data breach prevention system. They help you find any weak spots in your defenses, so you can fix them before someone else finds them and exploits them. These audits also help ensure that your company is following all the necessary rules and regulations to avoid any legal trouble.

What To Do If a Data Breach Occurs

Notify Affected Parties

The first thing you need to do is let people know that their information might be in the wrong hands. There are data breach laws that outline when and how to tell individuals or organizations affected (and sometimes even the government, too).

This could mean giving them advice on how to change passwords or even paying for them to get special services that watch for strange things happening with their money.

Investigate the Breach

Find out how much information was taken, what kind of information it was, and how the “bad guys” got it in the first place. This step is super important because it helps you understand how to stop it from happening again (and it also helps you gather evidence in case you need it later).

Enhance Security Post-Breach

Once you know what happened, it’s time to make some changes. You’ll want to use what you learned from the investigation to fix any problems in your security, like weak passwords or old software.

You might also want to add extra layers of protection, like tougher ways to log in or special programs that monitor your data so you have more peace of mind.

Use Qohash to Prevent Data Breaches in Your Org!

Our tools also assist in monitoring data usage, providing robust data security posture management for your organization. It’s like having your own data security expert at your fingertips, helping you know your data and protect it effectively. 

Book a demo today to see how Qohash can enhance your data security posture management and safeguard your valuable information!