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Detect data exfiltration with these expert-recommended strategies, including network monitoring, DLP Solutions,
When someone steals important information, usually with the intent of misusing it, the process is called Data Exfiltration. The information can be anything from your customers’ data and financial records to intellectual property.
Data Exfiltration otherwise known as Data theft or data exportation refers to the unauthorized transfer of data from a computer or network.
It is important to note that data breaches can involve both intentional and unintentional data exposure. Data leakage is a form of unintentional data exposure, contrasting with the intentional nature of data exfiltration.
In the era when businesses are going digital, data is becoming an invaluable treasure for any organization. Hence, learning to detect and prevent data exfiltration is not a choice but essential. For early and effective data exfiltration detection, they are using various tools and techniques specifically designed for the purpose of data exfiltration prevention. However, before selecting any such strategy, one should understand how the systems are targeted and how data exfiltration occurs.
There is a common misconception that understanding data exfiltration is only for organizations that are in the business of handling sensitive data. What most people understand is every organization is holding data that can be exploited. Disgruntled employees or contractors with legitimate access can intentionally exfiltrate data, driven by personal gain or malicious intents. Their data can be used to gain a competitive advantage or compromised for financial gains. To put a stop to this corrupt practice, first understand the sources of data exfiltration.
There are three major sources of data exfiltration.
There are three facets of exfiltrating data through various methods:
Social Engineering means exploiting the naivety or trust of an employee. The victim is tricked into sharing some sensitive information or sometimes sharing their credentials through which attackers get direct access to information.
Network vulnerabilities are in-built weaknesses of the network of any organization. These weaknesses are like an open door for intruders, ready to be exploited by giving access to sensitive data. Exploiting software vulnerabilities, whether in APIs or network security configurations, is a common tactic used by attackers. This includes software vulnerabilities, configuration-based vulnerabilities, IoT or device-based vulnerabilities, etc.
Even though the world has moved to cloud storage but the threat through removable storage devices is still widespread. The storage devices can carry any virus or malware inside them making your defenses weak. IoT devices are another technological advancement that are built with comfort in mind, ignoring security protocols, making them an easy target of any hacker.
Once the source and method of Data Exfiltration are detected then organizations execute network forensics analysis to close any entry point for intruders.
As cyber security experts who have been in the business of protecting your data for more than 20 years, we at Fidelis Security want to highlight that the cost of data breaches goes far way beyond monetary damages. Data compromise can have significant financial impacts, necessitating immediate remediation efforts and potentially leading to fines and additional costs related to customer notifications and compensation.
It is the most immediate impact visible to the naked eye. If a data breach has occurred, then monetary damage will follow. There is a direct cost associated with a breach such as detecting and stopping the hacker. Then there are indirect costs such as loss of business. Then sometimes companies pay large ransom amounts to get access to their own data. Additionally, organizations may incur significant costs for offering credit monitoring services to protect affected individuals and manage the aftermath of a breach.
The reputation of companies takes a big hit after any data breach. It breaks the trust of customers, partners, and investors. Exposure of sensitive information, including customer data, can lead to severe consequences such as legal ramifications and financial penalties. And the result of reputational damage is negative publicity and media coverage. This is a long-term impact that damages the image of the company.
As the world is going digital, the laws around data leakage prevention are getting stricter. Any cybercrime due to negligence or non-compliance of such laws leads to hefty fines and lengthy lawsuits. Unauthorized data transfers can result in significant compliance issues, as they often involve breaches of sensitive information and violations of regulatory standards.
A lot of times, data exfiltration leads to disruption in operations, delay in services, and even shutting down the entire system. Attackers often exploit the internal network to transfer data outside the organization’s infrastructure, further complicating internal operations. Once the data is stolen, the organizations must implement new security measures and sometimes remodel the whole process which again leads to interruption in services.
Finally, we are in times where data impacts every decision of your business. The same data reaching the hands of your competitors will put the companies at a significant competitive disadvantage. They can gain access to your business strategies, customer lists, and other confidential information. Additionally, the loss of company data due to insider threats, such as phishing attacks or misuse of unsanctioned software, can lead to significant data loss, making robust cybersecurity measures critical.
Other damages can include loss of intellectual property, identity theft, increased security costs, etc. Human error can also play a significant role in unauthorized data transfers, as mistakes or misconfigurations by individuals can lead to accidental data breaches.
The impact of data exfiltration could be more severe than you can think of and can also cost millions of dollars. In fact, a study by IBM suggests that the average global cost of a data breach in 2024 is $4.88 million.
Knowing the extent of damage data breach can cause, we should move to understanding data exfiltration prevention techniques.
When it comes to securing your data, you should never leave any stone unturned. Security teams play a crucial role in preventing data exfiltration by analyzing alerts generated by intrusion detection systems (IDS) and responding to potential threats in real time. There are certain techniques that minimize the risk of exfiltration of data. Here is the list of the specific techniques:
One of those techniques is a strong and well-planned access control system. In access control, organizations ensure that a user is only able to access data necessary to get their work done, effectively managing data access to mitigate risks associated with data exfiltration.
It’s also wise to use encryption, as without the decryption key, it is nearly impossible for cybercriminals to make sense of stolen information. Securing data in cloud storage services is crucial, as vulnerabilities and misconfigured applications can lead to data exposure. Adding this additional layer of security can save your data from any potential misuse.
Another key technique for data exfiltration detection and prevention is to continuously monitor data flow and user behavior to detect potential threats. Any anomaly from the standard pattern should be investigated in detail.
Regular audits of network vulnerabilities are recommended to close any entry point of intruders. This will provide an overview of your network security health. In case pf any unfortunate breach, the organization will also have forensic evidence in their favor.
Furthermore, schedule employee training at regular intervals to create an environment of cyber consciousness. Training employees to identify malicious behavior is crucial, as it helps them distinguish between legitimate user activity and harmful actions. If employees are aware of best practices to keep data secure the threat of negligence and social engineering can be mitigated.
Last but not least, employ effective Data Loss Prevention Solutions (DLP) as it is specifically designed to protect data from unauthorized access and prevent data exfiltration.
Fidelis Network® DLP provides a comprehensive solution for preventing data exfiltration that monitors and controls the data flow. It can read and analyze data on different protocols, channels, and applications being used on the network to identify any sensitive information and prevent Data exfiltration attacks. Fidelis Network® DLP prevents data loss by:
Encryption is a process that converts your data into a code language that can only be understood by the sender or receiver. It is a digital lock that protects your data from being misused as even if the data is intercepted and stolen, the attacker won’t be able to read the information without the decryption key.
Hence, encryption plays a vital role in preventing data exfiltration as it significantly reduces the risk of data breaches.
The consequences of failing to prevent data exfiltration can be severe and result in significant losses. Financial loss is the most immediate impact of any data breach. Controlling the breach attempt, legal fines, cost of disruption of services, and enhanced security features cost big bucks that burden the organization.
Then there are some indirect long-term effects that may cost way more than money like decline in brand reputation, loss of intellectual property, competitive disadvantage, and compliance pressure.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of cushioning for an organization. In this process, a user needs more than a password to access their account such as a fingerprint scanner, OTP on message, or approval through an authentication app. This is to secure the integrity of data even if the login credentials are compromised.
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1. Social engineering