Published: 27-02-2019, Rémon Verkerk

Cyber ​​security is a hot topic. Organizations are increasingly investing in preventive measures to keep cyber criminals out and protect their data. Better to prevent than to cure, right?

However, it is an illusion to feel completely safe. Every organization leaks information, be it through malicious parties (eg hackers) or through negligent employees who simply do their work. Data leaks are the order of the day in this digital age; a stolen laptop, mis-addressed e-mail with customer data, intellectual property that is passed on to the competitor, et cetera.

In order to determine the scope and impact of a data breach, it is necessary to get answers to the following questions, among others

     

  • What caused this incident?

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  • How long has this been going on?

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  • Which systems and what data is involved?

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  • Is the data leak “poem”?

A recurring question in such issues is whether or not the data has been intentionally leaked. In the case of ‘knowingly’ , unlawful leakage / appropriation of data, there is the possibility to file a claim for damages in the context of criminal proceedings, or by means of a so-called civil procedure in which you can request the civil court to order the perpetrator to pay compensation.

The majority of data breaches that we have seen during this period involve some form of “insider” component.


Verizon Data Breach Report 2018

Although most security measures are always aimed at malicious parties from the outside, the greatest danger still appears to come from within. In particular, inattention and ignorance of employees who do not intend to do harm are a great danger. Examples of this are employees who bypass security measures in order to work more efficiently or store their data outside the resources offered by the employer.

Insider threat

Digital evidence plays an important role in demonstrating malicious or negligent actions. In practice it appears that most data is accidentally leaked. The cases where an insider deliberately leaks data can potentially have major consequences. This internal employee is often well acquainted with the “crown jewels” of the organization, the internal procedures and the security measures and thus poses a possibly even greater threat than an external malicious party.

Trust

A frequently heard response is: “We trust our employees!”. Obviously, otherwise the employer would not have entered into the employment contract at all. Confidence is usually justified, but mistakes are made and reliable employees can end up in financially difficult or even impossible situations, which makes them feel compelled to commit fraud. We often do not have to deal with criminals who are dyed in the wool. In addition, organizations are increasingly relying on third-party services, with risk-free trading in practice being significantly less.

The damage that can result from such incidents can have a major impact on the organization and radiates to customers and partners.

People are still the weakest link in the security chain! We will have to accept this to some degree. During an incident, we should still be somewhat cautious and not draw conclusions too quickly if there is intent.

A good conversation must also take place with a negligent employee about the cause and impact of their actions. This conversation probably has a slightly different character than research has shown that there was an act of evil intentions!