As the list of significant technology layoffs continues to grow, many organizations are now operating with reduced staff and under conditions of increasing workload. There are a number of challenges arsing from this state of affairs. Among these challenges is a growing potential threat: Data exfiltration.
Data exfiltration occurs most often when malware and a malicious actor carries out an unauthorized data transfer from a computer. It is also commonly called data extrusion or data exportation Data exfiltration also includes the internal theft or unauthorized transfer of data from a computer or server.
Commonly, data exfiltrations occur in the form of targeted attacks where the hacker’s primary intent is to locate, capture and then to copy specific data from the target machine. This can occur using a type of remote application or by directly installing a portable media device.
How commonplace is this newer form of cybersecurity risk? VAST Data’s VP of Data Protection, George Axberg, has told Digital Journal that cases are growing.
Axberg has also explained how organizations can prepare for an employee potentially taking or tampering with sensitive data.
According to Axberg’s analysis: “As workers continue leaving organizations at rapid rates, the potential threat of data exfiltration has increased greatly. Typically, organizations are thinking about how to prevent outside hackers from getting into confidential data, but it’s important for IT departments to have a plan in place for those who already have access to servers.”
Axberg adds that there are solutions that can help to reduce the incident rate: “With tools like advanced protocol auditing, data software platforms can record the actions of users, in the event an employee is trying to export or copy sensitive files.”
Such approaches can form part of good data governance schemes. The benefits are developed by Axberg: “These audits also allow IT administrators to export data for additional forensics and threat detection, in case of a rogue insider threat.”
There are other advantages from this level of scrutiny: “In addition to having solutions in place to detect data exfiltration, backup and recovery are just as important in case classified documents are stolen entirely or tampered with.”
To aid this process, Axberg states: “Software features like indestructible snapshots are key, as this will safeguard data by preventing critical backup copies from being altered or destroyed by any individual and allow for disaster recovery of files.”
