What Is A Data Leak? Causes, Examples, And Prevention
Code42, Monday, February 12th, 2024
When sensitive information becomes available to outside sources, you have a data leak on your hands. Data leaks are real threats that are easy to ignore. But across all the places your company stores and moves data, it's only a matter of time until an accidental exposure of information will put your business at risk.
Data leaks might seem trivial, but treating them as minor would be a big mistake. Think of your business like a ship: a data leak might start as a bit of water seeping in. Over time, several small leaks can begin flooding the deck - or maybe one small leak grows to sink the whole ship. This out-of-control leak is now a full-on data breach. Even if you manage to avoid a breach, multiple leaks can still lead to logistical headaches, financial burdens, and a damaged reputation.
The question isn't if your data will leak (if it hasn't already) but when - and how quickly the leak will get out of control. Thanks to the increasing number of regulatory requirements around reporting leaks, including the SEC's recent updates, you can't simply patch up a leak and move on.