Top Threats to Data Security and Integrity

Data security is significant for everyone, whether it is an organization, business, or institution.

As the threats to data are increasing day by day, everyone should follow strict security measures to protect data security and integrity. There are some potential threats to data security and have some best practices to control these attacks.

Potential Threats to Data Security and Integrity and Control measures

1. Cloud Vulnerability:

Data stored on the cloud has the same threat levels as the traditional data center. When the data is at the local computer, it has some threats like being hacked, insider threats, while when data is at cloud software, it has software vulnerabilities.

Giving excess controls to the employees, using untrusted software, stolen credentials, and loss of data.

• Restrict user controls and only provide the required access.
• Have a secure data backup
• Set up strong passwords
• Establish governance policies
• Test different protection methods
• Keep updating security architecture
• Encrypt your data and backup
• Train your employees about security and vulnerabilities.

2. Ransomware Attack

The ransomware attack is done by malicious software that blocks your access to the system and asks for money in return. In data security and integrity, network-based ransomware is most dangerous.

This is a technological error and has no connection with a human. Organizations need to monitor unusual activities happening in the computer to stop this malicious software from infecting the system.

Prevention:

• Avoid clicking irrelevant links
• Do not open and click on an email received from an untrusted source.
• Keep yourself away from the sites claiming paid software free of cost
• Restrict sharing of your data through messages, unreliable resources, or calls.

3. Password Attacks

Another threat to data security and integrity is an attack of the insiders or outsiders on the passwords. Whenever you enter a username and password on an unsecured website, there is a high risk that your password can be stolen.

This attack can be as simple as stealing your password in one go and as difficult trying it for hundred times. Hackers steal passwords by using keyloggers and screen capture applications.

Prevention:

• Use long and mixed passwords. Avoid using a general password like name123.
• Do not add personal information in the password.
• Do not use the same password for every account.
• Never share your passwords with anyone.

4. Social Engineering Vulnerabilities

Social engineering is a broad term having an extensive range of malicious activities spread through human connections. This is not a direct attack, but it has many steps.

Predators investigate the victim’s account organization, collect information including security protocol, weak and strong points, and then attack. Social engineering vulnerabilities are scam messages and offers.

If someone known asks for the password or any other personal information, do not share it without confirmation of the person. A hacker can contact you by hacking your relative’s or friend’s account.

Prevention:

• Do not get emotional on the internet and share anything with anyone.
• Keep your spam filter high
• Secure the devices using security and virus scanning apps.

5. Insider Threats

According to the stats by Mckinsey and company, 50 percent of data breaches because of insider threats. These are the threats that originate from the organization itself.

It can be by a current employee, former employee, or anyone having access to the organization’s crucial data. He can delete some important files, unallowed access to sensitive and shared folders. Some organizations ignore this threat and trust the employee legitimacy and bear the heavy loss.

Prevention:

• Monitor activities of the employees and to whom you have given access to a database or any other thing.
• Strong authentication keeps you safe from these threats.
• The organization must control third-party access.
• Computer Data Security Threats

Data Security Threats

Data security has many threats, but the most common ones are:

1. Hackers

Hackers are the predators that hack your computers and steal data. Hackers are unallowed users who trick you in different ways.

Whenever any system is on the internet, it always has a threat of hacking. Organizations are very vigilant about their data and give priority to its security.

What Hackers Can Do?

• Hijack your bank account, credit details, and ruin it.
• Use your credit card, make purchases, and take loans.
• They can hack your database and change it.
• Hackers can sell your data to a third party and can affect your organization’s reputation.

2. Computer Viruses

Computer viruses damage your system or any application. These viruses are emerging every day and are a power dangerous than previous ones.

These different types of computer viruses are programmed explicitly to harm any specific function. Ransomware virus encrypts the data and demands a ransom.

How computer virus attack?

• Viruses send fake updates to install the latest version of windows. It targets the windows user.
• They can steal your personal information and perform illegal acts.
• Some viruses seem to be authentic but are not legitimate.
• IoT devices have now become a gateway for hackers, as they do not have space for enough security.

3. Unauthorized Software

Some software is paid but some sites having it for free. When you click on the free link, it may have the virus and hack your system.

Except for this free software, some are local software that is not allowed, and using them can breach data and security. They do not have a protected code, and anyone can access the data stored on it.

In case you find any unusual activity on your phone, it could be due to such software. You will need to remove the spyware from your phone to protect your data.

Main Threats to Data Security and Integrity in a Business

• Phishing:

Phishing is a social engineering attack that usually sneaks victim’s user credentials and credit detail. In this, the attacker acts like a trusted person and records the user credentials, and hacks your account. They might do this through an email, text, or call. The hacker makes you click on the phishing link so you enter your important details there.

You might also enjoy reading about Email encryption.

• Cloud Jacking:

Cloud jacking is hacking the cloud accounts and gaining access to them. They can use these credentials for criminal activities. Intruders attack the cloud because most organizations store confidential information on cloud servers, and it becomes the major reason for cloud jacking.

Cloud security monitoring is quite important.

Businesses can protect their cloud servers by using multifactor authentication, do not provide internal access to many people, encrypt data and its backup, and ask employees to use strong passwords.

• Deepfake:

Deepfake is an emerging threat to businesses. It is a form of artificial intelligence that makes you feel the media is real and reliable. In reality, those are manipulated images and videos to trick you. Predators used deepfake for scams, social engineering attacks, identity theft, and financial fraud.

• IoT Attacks:

They produced these threats through the channels to which your device is connected. Many organizations connect their IoT components with different channels or with each other.

IoT devices do not have many security measures because of less space. They also have network attack threat as spoofing.

Conclusion

There is no end to threats to data security. Organizations need to take control measures to protect their data and its integrity. These threats vary from business to business and technology to technology.

Like businesses have cloud jacking and IoT attack threats, while computers have network threats, malware and spyware. So, everyone should take care of their devices, cloud, and network.