Data leaks: identify the risks and tackle them

In our digital age, data is at the heart of your business. It fuels your decision-making process, innovation and competitiveness. But that large volume of sensitive information at your disposal is also the object of data leaks and the target of cyberattacks.

Data leaks often occur involuntarily. For instance, an employee might inadvertently send a confidential email to the wrong recipient or share a document with someone else by accident. But your company also entrusts a host of data to third parties. If a supplier, partner or service provider is confronted with a data leak, your data can be compromised.

A data leak can also be the result of a deliberate attack with malicious intent. Just think of an employee who knowingly leaks information for personal gain or to harm your business (the insider threat), or of criminals who infiltrate your networks and systems to steal sensitive information in order to sell it or hold you to ransom.
 

From risk assessment to measures

Efficient data leak prevention requires a firm grasp of the risks. That is why you must perform a risk assessment.

1. Identify valuable data: Determine which data is most valuable for your company and therefore runs the greatest risk of exposure.
2. Assess vulnerabilities: Identify the weaknesses in the infrastructure, systems and security policy of your business.
3. Evaluate threats: Analyse potential threats, both internally and externally, that may result in data leaks.

After this risk assessment you can take appropriate measures to prevent data leaks. In this video we explain the measures you need to take: