Tech Tip Tuesday: Top 4 Causes of Data Breaches

Data breaches can be one of the most detrimental events to a business, big or small. Company, employee, and customer information as well as passwords, banking information, and emails are the top targets of data breaches. On average, cybercriminals attack once every three seconds, or 26,000 times a day. 

With AI, cybercrime is projected to continually rise as cybercriminals can send out more attacks quicker than ever. With this projection, businesses of all sizes must start implementing and enforcing cybersecurity measures. Here are the top 4 causes of data breaches and what you can do to prevent them.

1. Phishing

94% of malware is carried by email. Phishing attempts are among the top methods hackers use to breach company data. Implementing advanced email protection is the best way to protect your company from phishing. This will stop phishing emails from ever making it to your employees, negating the risk of a data breach before it starts. 

2. Reused Passwords

80% of all data breaches are due to reused passwords. Requiring employees to use passwords that are complex and unique to each platform is crucial to protecting company data. Remembering multiple different passwords can prove difficult, but with a password manager, your employees can store passwords and allow the password manager to create secure passwords for them. 

3. Software Vulnerabilities

Keeping software up to date will ensure bugs and vulnerabilities are patched promptly. Typically, software updates and patches are rolled out monthly, but hackers may target these vulnerabilities up to a year later. The sooner company devices update, the better.  Creating a policy requiring employees to install updates no later than 48 hours after notification can help ensure all devices are as protected as possible.

4. Physical Theft

Lastly, physical theft is a surprisingly overlooked cause of data breaches. Data can be stolen from a simple mistake such as leaving a computer unlocked. It’s important to ensure all employees lock company devices when they are not at their devices and that all company devices are not left unattended. Implementing a policy regarding company devices can keep employees aware of the risks and help them adhere to best practices.

While staying aware of the top 4 causes of data breaches can help prevent disaster, more than 77% of companies do not have an incident response plan in place in the event of a data breach. Creating an incident response plan will ensure that in the event of a data breach, your employees know the next steps and damage control can begin as soon as possible.

For assistance constructing an incident response plan and implementing cybersecurity to protect your company from data breaches, contact us at Computek. We offer comprehensive cybersecurity including advanced email protection, password vaults, software patches, and remote locking software in the event a device is physically stolen. For more information on our services, give us a call at 512-869-1155 or book a free consultation at Computekonline.com.

That’s all for this week, we’ll see you next time for Tech Tip Tuesday!