What is a Data Breach and
What Can My Organisation Do About It?
Nowadays, there is increasing news about data breaches. Entire documents and data from companies, as well as their stakeholders, are easily accessible. This can have many consequences for the stakeholders, but perhaps even more for the company.
The Dutch Data Protection Authority has defined a data breach as an incident involving access to or destruction, alteration, or unauthorized disclosure of personal data at an organisation without the intention of the organisation itself.
A data breach is an incident where information is stolen or extracted from a system without the knowledge or consent of the system’s owner. Both small businesses and large organisations can experience a data breach. Stolen data can include sensitive, proprietary, or confidential information such as credit card numbers, customer data, trade secrets, or matters of national security.
The consequences of a data breach can manifest as damage to the target company’s reputation due to a perceived ‘betrayal of trust’. Victims and their customers may also suffer financial losses if related data is part of the stolen information.
In this case, prevention is better than cure. Once data is exposed, it is difficult to remove. Moreover, removing the software is often not effective and is not done completely. Therefore, prevention is the best solution.
Every Company Can Address the Following Vulnerabilities:
- As previously mentioned, it is crucial to use the most recent operating and security systems.
- All programs should also be up-to-date. No errors can be allowed here.
- Never click on strange links in emails. Many spam emails come through websites. Always check whether it is a standard email with a link or an actual potential customer with questions.
- Get ISO 27001 certified. Information security is essential for every company. The ISO 27001 standard is an international framework for information security. ISO 27001 can be used to organise information security.
