Data Breach Detection: How It Works and Why You Need It

Data breach detection is a process of collecting, studying and interpreting traffic to identify network threats. Protecting your network from being hacked and misused is an inherent responsibility of amassing valuable data. Big-scale attacks are planned and executed by sentient people, often using a combination of tactics. To protect your stakeholders and for your own best interest, why not use the best technology to detect data breaches?

Data breach detection is programmed to identify indicators of compromise. Defender applications are configured to monitor and log activity of important components such as database assets, user authentication logs, honeypot activity, etc. The application sends notifications when patterns match the profiles of DDoS attacks or suspicious system modifications. Having learned from past attacks, defense software can be programmed to detect:

• Unexplained changes to privileged accounts or unused logins
• Remote logins from implausible locations
• Suspicious login activity such as duplicate sessions or after-hours logins
• An influx of password resets or a spike in password lockouts
• Any irregular access or activity which is atypical of usual legitimate traffic

The platform will then alert managers of the network of the intelligence collected about the intrusion. Attacks are generalized in two categories, passive and active. Passive attack enters the system to gather information about it.

Such as a burglar will walk through a prospective target, hackers will “case” the target by remotely identifying data and network assets of value. Passive attacks gather information about the network and the valuables contained therein. The “data” taken is intel about vulnerabilities such as ports, any gaps in the firewall. If detected before an active attack they serve as a warning. Using contextual knowledge about the enterprise and data about the passive attack, the security team can ascertain the means by which they may leverage another attack and understand what it is they are after.

Conversely, an active attack does one of three things; compromise confidentiality, integrity, or availability of the data. Once the data has been accessed, they can leverage the breach against the owner of the network. People may attack your enterprise specifically because the data on your network can be exploited for some gain.

Some cyber-criminals operate viruses which propagate adware because they can profit from exploiting the ad sales. Others send spam email or browser attacks in hopes of infecting a computer with some form of ransom ware. These methods net the actors a revenue of electronic cash.

Using a large data bank of information gathered, criminals can be identified by IP address or by identifying a pattern in their unique methods. It is possible to use data breach detection to pursue criminals legally.

With reliable data breach detection, your enterprise can respond appropriately. Comprehensive intelligence is necessary to identify the actors and stop them from leveraging more attacks. It is important to take the necessary steps to guard your data from attackers. Intrusions can come in many forms. Your servers may contain confidentiality breaches, client data theft, distribution or leaks of information, “leaks” of creative pieces, proprietary formulas or innovations, or sensitive company memos. Data breach detection is effective for protecting all of the valuables in your network.

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