What factors lead to data leaks in Hong Kong servers, and how can they be prevented?

Data is a core and fundamental asset that any business highly values, serving as the foundation for the survival and development of enterprises. From traditional models to the current internet-driven paradigm, data storage has shifted to network storage. Various types of online attacks and intrusions are mostly aimed at acquiring data.

According to statistics, the current ways in which data leaks occur include the following:

1、Loss of portable devices containing sensitive data (24%).

2、Internal leaks (12%).

3、Accidental data leaks (17.4%).

4、Physical loss of documents and files (11.6%).

5、Device theft (5.4%).

6、Credit card fraud (1.4%).

7、A small portion of data leaks (approximately 3.2%) occurs for unknown reasons.

Therefore, summarizing the ways in which everyday actions lead to data leaks:

1、Using weak passwords, allowing hackers to crack the access credentials of company employees.

2、Opening malicious email links on company devices, such as PCs, to install malware.

3、 Using software without applying patches, allowing attackers to install backdoors on devices.

4、Accidentally granting access permissions for devices to the wrong individuals.

5、Employees losing a laptop without data encryption.

6、Disgruntled internal personnel or former employees sharing data with the intent to harm the organization.

7、Attackers using credential stuffing and exploiting the lack of two-factor authentication to log into employee accounts.

8、Hackers exploiting misconfigured web or application servers to install malicious software on them.

How to Maximize the Avoidance of Data Leaks:

1、Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration tests to measure the system's resilience against various methods of data leaks.

2、Enforce the use of unique strong passwords for each account, ensuring that employees regularly update their passwords.

3、Conduct cybersecurity awareness training, educating your employees about social engineering tactics and teaching them how to take action when detecting suspicious activities.

4、Ensure that all devices, systems, and networks are updated with the latest patches to prevent exploitation of outdated software.

5、Implement zero-trust security and network segmentation to prevent attackers from moving quickly between internal systems.

6、Improve your network security by deploying Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), robust firewalls, antivirus solutions, cloud security policies, VPNs, endpoint threat detection, and network kill chains.

7、Create a disaster recovery plan and use data backups to ensure that the business can quickly recover from attempts of data leaks.