A security incident occurs when the company’s computer infrastructure has been breached. These types of incidents are mostly preventable or manageable with strong security programs such as ServiceNow security incident response systems. If your company does not devote enough resources to a strong security and resolution implementation system, you may lose thousands of dollars and valuable data and face lawsuits due to your inaction. Here, we give some examples of security incidents that all companies in the digital age are likely to face.
Data breaches or unethical hacking
One of the most prevalent types of external threats is unauthorized users, otherwise known as unethical hackers, accessing your valuable data or the protected data of your clients. This can have serious consequences for your business. Sensitive data can be extremely valuable, and your business can face lawsuits as a breach. Signs of data breaches include log-ins to your server from unknown locations or unknown accounts asking for access to your data or servers.
Data breaches can happen from both outside or inside the company. Always watch out for these tell-tale signs to prevent this sort of accident. If it does happen, isolate the server that has been breached to prevent spread. Put in place measures that prevent this from happening again in the future, such as by implementing multiple security layers or complex passwords.
Unauthorized overwriting of data or systems
This can be carried out by individuals or pre-programmed malware. Usually, a computer virus will be able to access your servers or IT system and either overwrite your data to fill up all your server or disk space or alter certain aspects of your system. This is dangerous as it can take control of your organization away from your hands. A number of tasks can be carried out by overwriting system commands, such as revealing sensitive information, making purchases, and carrying out fraudulent wire transfers. You can even get locked out of your own system through this rewriting process. Prevent this from happening by having various malware protection layers in place, such as firewalls and antiviruses. Train your employees in security, and always look for weaknesses in your systems.
Unusual traffic patterns
Unusual traffic patterns generating in or out of your servers can mean that a security event has taken place. A large volume of data being transferred from your network could indicate that it has been breached. If you are receiving multiple hits on an unknown website from your servers, it could also mean that your servers are being hacked and used by some other company. To detect such issues, always look at your use patterns. If your data consumption pattern changes sharply, that could indicate that someone else is using your server space or is logging in to your system.
The best way to keep your company protected is to invest heavily in security. Thorough training of all employees is also necessary to eliminate risks of human mistakes. Unscrupulous people and negligent users both pose similar threats to IT infrastructures.
