Data Exfiltration: What You Should Know

Data security is an essential component of modern IT infrastructure. Businesses that use data for important tasks should work to ensure criminals don’t misappropriate their digital assets.

Unauthorized data exfiltration is an ongoing problem for data security professionals. When important data is lost or stolen, it can lead to operational disruptions and loss of potential clients. This risk makes it essential to defend vital data from being stolen.

The Importance of Data Security

The more a business relies on digital information for its day-to-day operations, the more susceptible it becomes to potential attacks by malicious actors. Digital assets that are needed for ongoing business operations are especially vulnerable to being leaked or stolen.

IT managers and cybersecurity professionals should be aware of the practices that criminals use to siphon important information without administrators even knowing.

Steps to Preventing Data Exfiltration

Data exfiltration occurs whenever digital assets are taken from their source without authorization. This exfiltration is often the work of cybercriminals attempting to gain access to sensitive information.

Prevent data exfiltration by developing a robust data security framework that includes constant surveillance, top-level authorizations, and user-facing support.

Monitor

Sensitive data-flows and communication channels present vulnerabilities that malicious criminals are likely to target. This exposure means it’s essential for businesses to be aware of who is accessing data and for what purpose. By monitoring data for unauthorized access, businesses can keep themselves safe from data exfiltration.

Secure

When attempting to access unauthorized systems, hackers and other malicious criminals will focus their efforts on the path of least resistance.

Businesses with strict data management protocols are less likely to become victims of data exfiltration. Decision-makers should require credentials and ensure active system logging to reduce the threat of data exfiltration.

Educate

The biggest security weakness for most businesses is the individual users of the system. IT leaders and small business owners can make the most practical decisions for data security but be derailed by a simple mistake made by a partner or employee.

Businesses should promote the best training and development programs for their staff to ensure everybody is on-board with the most up-to-date security practices.

Prevent Data Exfiltration with SEAM

Modern businesses that rely on sensitive data for their critical tasks should consider not just how to protect their current data but also how to dispose of old equipment.

When hardware devices that store essential data are no longer needed, IT managers and small business owners need to dispose of them properly. At SEAM, we deploy secure data destruction methods that give you peace of mind when upgrading to new equipment.

SEAM offers best-in-class computer and hard drive recycling and data destruction for North Dakota and South Dakota. Tour our certified facility in Sioux Falls where we also provide paper shredding and mobile document destruction services.

We serve North Dakota and South Dakota businesses, from Bismark banks looking to securely resell their computers, to Rapid City healthcare clinics who need their hard drives destroyed. If you’re concerned about data exfiltration at your business, contact SEAM today!