The network security basics for your organization should include some type of data breach detection tools. Data breaches are on the rise in recent years, including stealing personal information about employees and customers. From credit card numbers to social security numbers and pay records, hackers have stolen a wide range of data from businesses of all sizes.
Any business that does not have data breach detection measures in place is vulnerable. Taking the approach that something like this could not happen is not a good idea. Businesses are just making themselves huge targets for hackers.
What can do you do to protect your data from being breached? There are several different methods you can use, including various data loss prevention system applications like PA File Sight. These applications help provide real-time monitoring of file servers to know when there is suspicious activity occurring on the server.
Some of the questionable activities that can be monitored include:
- File Deletion
- Moving Files from One Location to Another
- Accessing an Excessive Number of Files
- File Transfers to/from the File Server/Local Machine
- Attempting to Offload Files onto External Storage Devices
In addition, this application monitors and records every action by every user that accesses the file server into an event log. The event log will show the username, date, time, and what actions they performed, such as saving, creating, deleting, or moving files. The event log can even record users that just access and “read” files.
Identifying a Data Breach with Data Breach Detection Measures
Two general facts exist about data breaches:
- The hacker logs into the file server and authenticates with it.
- The hacker can then access large volumes of data and perform some malicious activity— moving, deleting, etc.
The primary thing that you need to be on the watch for is any type of file activity that is abnormal. If you notice large volumes of files being renamed, moved, deleted, etc., then this should be treated as a data breach.
Second, many organizations mistakenly assume that data breaches always occur externally from outside their companies. Sadly, the number of internal data breaches are on the rise. So, even your employees could be potential hackers who want to steal your data or do something malicious to it.
Some other general things to watch for in event logs and reports from your data loss prevention system include:
- An increased amount of data is being accessed, as in bulk moving or deleting of files.
- There’s an increase in the frequency a user accesses files that is more than “normal.”
- The IP address is from a device or computer that does not match your IP addresses.
- There are changes in file permissions so that only the hacker can access the data.
- The time of day is outside of normal operating hours or seems unusual.
- The apps being used to access the data are not ones that you use.
Fortunately, one of the major benefits with PA File Sight is it can provide real-time alerts to key people in your organization when there is suspicious activity occurring. In addition, the application can lock the user out so they cannot access file servers or attempt to move data from their workstation to an external storage device.
PA File Sight even features ransomware protection. If it detects ransomware activity, it locks that machine or server down and stops the ransomware from spreading to other devices and servers on your network.
For further information about PA File Sight, its data breach detection measures, and how it can help with data loss prevention, please feel free to explore our website or contact Power Admin at 1-800-401-2339 today! We are pleased to offer a FREE 30-day, no-obligation, full-access trial.
