<p>In this digital age, cyber security is a great concern for many. One of the biggest fears any business or organization has is to have sensitive data leaked or stolen. The consequences can be dire, from financial loss and fraud, identity theft, and privacy violation to reputational damage. Hence, companies do everything in their power to implement robust data protection and avoid security breaches.
In this blog post, we&#39;re going to explore what exactly security breaches are, how to prevent them effectively, and, in the unfortunate event of a security breach, how to respond to them to minimize the damage.</p>
<h2 id="security-breach-definition">Security breach definition</h2>
<p>Before we dive into the topic of security breaches, we need to first understand what cyber security is.</p>
<h3 id="what-is-cyber-security">What is cyber security?</h3>
<p>Cyber security, a subset of information security, can be defined as the practice of protecting computers, mobile devices, servers, electronic systems, networks, and data from malware, exploits and other forms of malicious attacks. It involves electronic systems and communications.</p>
<h3 id="what-are-security-breaches">What are security breaches?</h3>
<p>When computer data, networks, applications, or devices are accessed without authorization, we call it a security breach. Confidential or sensitive information is thus at risk of being obtained illegally. Essentially, what happens when there is a security breach is basically malicious actors or intruders often exploit vulnerabilities or use phishing tactics to bypass defense mechanisms.
Although security breaches and data breaches are closely related and the former more often than not lead to the latter, there is a difference between them. Security breaches refer to the act of unauthorized access to the system, whereas data breaches are the act of actually stealing data. Think of it as a burglar----entering into a house is one thing, and taking items in the said house is another. </p>
<h2 id="types-of-security-breaches">Types of security breaches</h2>
<p>Security breaches can take many forms. Here we&#39;ve listed some of the most common ways the malicious actor can gain unauthorized access to the system.</p>
<ul>
<li>Password cracking </li>
<li>Software exploiting</li>
<li>Malware attacks</li>
<li>Drive-by-downloads</li>
<li>Social engineering</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="password-cracking">Password cracking</h3>
<p>If a password is not strong enough, it can be easily cracked or even guessed. So it is important to come up with a strong, complicated password, for instance, one that includes both lower and upper case letters, numbers, and symbols. It is also suggested that we use different passwords for different systems to lower the risk of the password being cracked.</p>
<h3 id="software-exploiting">Software exploiting</h3>
<p>Often, there are vulnerabilities in a system, such as missing data encryption or OS command injection. The malicious actor can use exploits to attack vulnerabilities and gain access to the system. </p>
<h3 id="malware-attacks">Malware attacks</h3>
<p>The threat actor infects the target system with a virus that can spread through the whole network to gain entry.</p>
<h3 id="drive-by-downloads">Drive-by downloads</h3>
<p>A drive-by download occurs when someone unintentionally or unknowingly downloads a virus or other malware onto the system. </p>
<h3 id="social-engineering">Social engineering</h3>
<p>Social engineering is another popular means threat actors nowadays use to gain access to systems. It refers to the act of manipulating people psychologically, usually by creating a fake identity or scenario to earn their trust, to disclose confidential information. The threat actor creates a fake identity or scenario to earn Common social engineering phishing, pretexting, baiting, CEO frauds, etc. </p>
<h2 id="how-to-prevent-security-breaches">How to prevent security breaches</h2>
<h2 id="having-good-security-habits-can-be-crucial-in-preventing-security-breaches-below-weve-put-together-a-list-of-precautions-you-can-take-to-make-your-system-less-vulnerable-to-security-breach-attacks---develop-a-robust-security-culture---use-strong-passwords----enable-2fa-or-mfa---wipe-old-hard-drives---back-up-files---install-antivirusantimalware---use-ssltls">Having good security habits can be crucial in preventing security breaches. Below, we&#39;ve put together a list of precautions you can take to make your system less vulnerable to security breach attacks.
- Develop a robust security culture
- Use strong passwords 
- Enable 2FA or MFA
- Wipe old hard drives
- Back up files
- Install antivirus/antimalware
- Use SSL/TLS</h2>
<h3 id="develop-a-robust-security-culture">Develop a robust security culture</h3>
<p>Security culture is a set of ideas, customs, and social behaviors of a group related to its security. An organization with a strong security culture is less likely to suffer security breaches.</p>
<h3 id="use-strong-passwords">Use strong passwords</h3>
<p>As mentioned earlier, weak passwords can be easily cracked or guessed. A strong password lowers that risk. It&#39;s also important to use different passwords for different accounts and change passwords regularly to keep your system safe.</p>
<h3 id="enable-2fa-or-mfa">Enable 2FA or MFA</h3>
<p>Two-factor authentication or multi-factor authentication function similarly. They are both used to verify identity and manage access. With 2FA or MFA enabled, every time you login into a system, you&#39;re required to not only enter your username and password but also go through another verification process depending on the application. This provides another layer of protection. </p>
<h3 id="wipe-old-hard-drives">Wipe old hard drives</h3>
<p>Instead of simply deleting files on a hard drive that you&#39;re about to throw out, use a data destruction program to make sure the data on the disk cannot possibly be restored. This simple act can effectively reduce your vulnerabilities. </p>
<h3 id="back-up-files">Back up files</h3>
<p>One of the common security breaches is <a href="https://hicloud.sg/news/blog/what-is-a-ransomware-attack">ransomware attacks</a>. It encrypts your files and demands a certain amount of payment in exchange for the decryption key. Having backed up data can keep your system safe when under a ransomware attack.</p>
<h3 id="install-anti-virus-and-anti-malware-software">Install anti-virus and anti-malware software</h3>
<p>Anti-virus and anti-malware software is designed to detect and respond to malicious software that has been placed on your devices. If your system is on the cloud, consider cyber security solutions offered by various security experts and cloud providers.</p>
<h3 id="use-ssltls">Use SSL/TLS</h3>
<p>The HTTPS protocol uses encryption and thus secures communication between different devices over the computer network. It effectively reduces the risk of data being stolen during transmission. </p>
<p>📚 <a href="https://hicloud.sg/news/blog/what-is-a-ssl-certificate">Further reading: What is SSL? Why do SSL certificates matter? Definition and explanation</a></p>
<h2 id="how-to-respond-to-security-breaches">How to respond to security breaches</h2>
<p>If, unfortunately, you or your organization becomes a victim of a security breach, stay calm and take the following measures to minimize damage: </p>
<ul>
<li>Update your passwords to prevent further data leakage.</li>
<li>Inform your banks and make sure they keep an eye out for possible fraudulent activities related to your accounts.</li>
<li>Run an antivirus scan to identify and remove security threats.</li>
<li>Report the crime to the authorities. </li>
<li>Continue to monitor your accounts and devices afterwards and look for future suspicious activities.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="cloud-security-solutions">Cloud security solutions</h2>
<p>Whether your system is on-premises, on the cloud or in a hybrid environment, security solutions should always be a top priority. Hi Cloud partners with major cloud providers to bring you the finest cybersecurity products and solutions, including identity and access management tools, WAF, key management services, security centers, etc. Our experts can also create tailor-made cloud computing plans to meet your data security needs.
Get in touch and <a href="https://hicloud.sg/contact-us">book a free consultation</a>.</p>


In this digital age, cyber security is a great concern for many. One of the biggest fears any business or organization has is to have sensitive data leaked or stolen. The consequences can be dire, from financial loss and fraud, identity theft, and privacy violation to reputational damage. Hence, companies do everything in their power to implement robust data protection and avoid security breaches.
In this blog post, we're going to explore what exactly security breaches are, how to prevent them effectively, and, in the unfortunate event of a security breach, how to respond to them to minimize the damage.

What is a security breach?

About Us

Contact Us

Multiple Payment Methods

Trending Products & Solutions

PRODUCTS

Network

DCDN

Cloud Storage

Block Storage

Object Storage

File Storage

Cloud Computing

Cloud Server

Load Balancer

Container

Cloud Security

Anti-DDoS

SSL Certificates

Security Center

Management & Governance

SIEM

Anomaly Detection

Cloud APM

Machine Learning

Image Search

Speech Recognition

eKYC

Database

MySQL

Redis

PostgreSQL

MongoDB

Platform

Multicloud Management

SOLUTIONS

Data Innovation

Data Visualization

Media Delivery

Live Streaming

Short Video App

Monitoring and Analysis

Web/App Security

Logging

Managed Cloud Service

DevOps, DevSecOps, and SRE

Managed Kubernetes

Cloud Migration

Solutions by Industry

Financial Services

Blockchain

Gaming

Smart Retail

Big Data

Education

RESOURCES

Resources

Blog

News

ABOUT US

About Hi Cloud

Our Culture

Partners and Certifications

Hi Cloud partners with 6 cloud platforms to provide cloud solutions to help your digital transformation, from IaaS and PasS to cloud migration and cybersecurity.

Hi Cloud

Get first-hand access to featured cloud computing articles on Hi Cloud.

Subscribe to our newsletters!

Company

Contact

Linkedin

Twitter

Facebook

Trending Products & Services

Transportation

Maritime

 Having assisted many enterprises in adopting cloud services, Hi Cloud has extensive experience in a number of industries.

Click to gain a deeper understanding of common challenges in various industries and our recommended solutions to overcome them.

Industries

Multicloud Management Platform

Featured Products

Professional Services

Cloud Managed Services

Internet of Things (IoT)

Microsoft Copilot

Security

Web Application Firewall (WAF)

Cloud

Modern Workplace

Microsoft Modern Workplace

View technical content, blog articles on the newest cloud technology trends, and the latest news updates here.

Microsoft Copilot for Security was released for general availability on April 1, 2024. What is the latest offering of Microsoft Copilot's suite of products, what does it do, and how can it help you safeguard your security? Find out in this article.

Introducing Microsoft Copilot for Security

Cyber security refers to the protection of systems that are connected to the internet, including hardware, software and data against cyber attacks. Cyber attacks and cyber threats can range from unauthorized accessing information and tempering data to extorting money and disturbing business operations. They can cause an organization or business serious damage. 

What is cyber security and why is it important?

Disaster is usually a word we refuse to talk about, or even think about. But in IT, disaster recovery is an, if not the most, important issue. In this blog post, we're going to explore not only disaster recovery but also how to develop disaster recovery plans to help your businesses or organizations.

What is disaster recovery? How to create a disaster recovery plan?