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Scammers Use Deceitful Conversations to Defraud Victims
A recent study has revealed that the most common type of error leading to data breaches is the misconfiguration of knowledge databases, specifically a lack of access controls. Scammers are taking advantage of this vulnerability by luring victims into deceitful conversations.
Data Breaches in Educational Institutions
The study found that data breaches in educational institutions can reveal sensitive information, including:
- Accounting records
- Personal identification information
- Bank routing details
- Health records
- Research data
In one recent example, an unauthorized party gained access to the personal information of students and employees at Connecticut College, including their social security numbers.
Preventing Data Breaches
To prevent such attacks, cybersecurity experts recommend several measures:
Employee Education
- Provide employees with cybersecurity awareness training to recognize new social engineering techniques
- Educate managers on preventing human error
Secure Configuration
- Ensure secure configuration of software and assets to protect sensitive databases and servers
- Deploy an access control management solution that restricts user access to databases and prevents data misuse
Monitoring User Activity
- Deploy account management tools to monitor user activities in real-time and prevent unauthorized access
- Use a multi-factor authentication feature that verifies user identities
Detecting Malicious Activity
- Leverage user activity monitoring to detect and prevent malicious activity
- Receive timely notifications about suspicious user actions
Managing Third-Party Activities
- Implement vendor security risk management best practices
- Monitor all accounts and activities of partners who have access to sensitive data
By following these measures, organizations can mitigate the risk of a data breach and protect their sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.