What is the no1 cause of data breaches?

When we think about data breaches, we think of a hacker sitting in a dark basement, hacking away at a firewall. In reality, most breaches are caused by human error. The sources for this statement are many and varied, but fairly consistent:

Human error can include:

  • weak passwords
  • failure to recognise a cyber-attack, e.g. phishing
  • not installing updates of software
  • ‘people hacking’ or social engineering (when an identity thief successfully tricks a person to reveal information such as login details)
  • accidental loss or disclosure of information
  • not following IG policies and procedures

This means that even organisations with strong information security infrastructure remain vulnerable to data breaches if they fail to train their people. 

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