Different Types of Data Breaches

Understanding data breaches is essential for maintaining better cybersecurity at your organization or business. Although the term data breach is sometimes used to refer to any cyberattack, it’s a distinct tactic. A breach targets data, exposing sensitive information or impacting mission-critical information. No matter what kind of data a breach impacts, it can cause significant loss for your company.

At Tekie Geek, we offer IT services to help businesses in New York and New Jersey prepare for potential data breaches. Here, we explain the various types of data breaches and their impact.

What Is a Data Breach?

With a data breach, a threat actor gains unauthorized access to business data. The information stolen may include corporate information, such as intellectual property or financial records, as well as personal data, like health records or bank account numbers. This means a data breach may not only cause financial loss but also reputational damage.

What’s more, since data breaches have been rampant for some time, governments have implemented laws to protect individuals against breaches. Data breach laws vary from state to state, so New York data breach guidelines differ from New Jersey cyber security regulations. Businesses want to familiarize themselves with these laws, plus any regulations specific to their industries.

Typically, a data breach is a deliberate act perpetrated by a cybercriminal or insider threat actor (someone inside the company with malicious intent). However, a data breach might also happen because of ineffective security practices or a lack of cybersecurity awareness. That’s why protecting against data breaches takes more than just stopping incidents as they occur. It means understanding suspicious activity before it happens to prevent the attack.

The Rising Impact of Data Breaches

What makes data breaches so damaging is their widespread effect. They harm businesses and the consumers that support them. They could also impact employees, partners, and other stakeholders. No organization, from large, multinational corporations to startups, is immune to a data breach.

Research suggests that data breaches are on the rise. A data breach study from Statista shows a significant jump in data compromises between 2022 and 2023. In 2022, the number of reported cases was 1,802. In 2023, this number reached 3,205. Beyond the number of data breaches, consider their impact. According to the same study, about 353 million individuals were impacted by data breaches in 2023.

Types of Data Breaches

One of the most effective ways to begin with stronger cybersecurity is learning about cyberattacks like data breaches. Some of the most common data breaches include:

Malware

Malware means malicious software. It refers to cybercriminals using software to issue attacks. In a typical malware attack, the first victim is a computer, server, or network. From there, the goal is to infect more devices and, eventually, entire systems.

There are several types of malware, including:

Phishing

Think of phishing as threat actors casting out a lure, hoping users will take the bait. In this case, the bait is usually an email message that tricks a user into providing protected data like passwords. Increasingly, since more businesses use mobile technologies, phishing messages might also come as texts.

The message will typically include a link or attachment made to seem legitimate. This might be a request from the IT department to update your password with a link. It might include an attachment to a fake invoice. However a cybercriminal devises a phishing attack, the purpose is exploiting human trust.

Some types of phishing include:

What Causes Data Breaches?

As technology advances, cybercriminals leverage tools like artificial intelligence to devise more complex tactics. However, even as cybercrime becomes more complicated, businesses must consider the impact of poor security practices on their business. Without effective cybersecurity policies, businesses don’t have guidelines for ensuring all teams follow best practices.

Another concern is insider threats. Individuals from within your organization can threaten network security, whether by accident or on purpose. A lack of awareness of proper cybersecurity practices creates the opportunity for error. For instance, an employee might accidentally include a coworker in an email that contains information they’re not authorized to receive. Another problem is negligence. Businesses might issue guidelines for creating passwords that some employees don’t follow. This can make it easier for threat actors to infiltrate systems via these users’ devices.

Some employees or other stakeholders, like partners, might commit data breaches on purpose. Often, they’re motivated by profit, as corporate data can be shared with competitors for a price. In these instances, employees may already have access to this information. So, businesses want to implement risk management processes and create varying levels of access based on the sensitivity of the information.

Trust Our IT Superheroes to Protect Your Data

Between financial loss, reputational damage, and potential legal trouble, data breaches can cause numerous problems for your business. Just keeping on top of the multiple types of data breaches alone is a challenge. It’s easy for organizations to get overwhelmed. That’s why businesses in New York and New Jersey trust the IT superheroes at Tekie Geek.

Services like managed IT and co-managed IT provide the guidance you need to navigate cybersecurity in an increasingly complex threat landscape. Business continuity planning helps you prepare for potential disruptions and ensures your data stays protected.

Contact us today to learn more about our IT services.