One thing that all data security breaches have in common is that someone must first uncover the breach and then reveal the breach to the appropriate parties (i.e., employers, law enforcement, other appropriate state and federal agencies, etc.). In the case of a business that is attacked and breached, an undetected data breach can wind up being costly for a business as the business must immediately address the lost data, implement security updates, and issue notifications once the breach is identified. Due to the ever-evolving state of cybersecurity and data protection, it can be difficult for companies to stay up to date with the current best practices for protecting data, which can leave them vulnerable to attacks. In today’s current state, it is less a question of if a data breach will occur at a company and is rather a question of when a data breach will occur at a company.

Who is Most Likely to Discover Data Security Breaches?

According to a survey conducted by AT&T, employees are the most likely to discover data security breaches. This makes sense since it is often employees who are using the company’s computer system. But generally speaking, employees are also likely to be those responsible for causing or enabling a data breach to happen in the first place. Employees who implement weak password protection techniques, or employees who open phishing-type emails containing malware or ransomware are some of the main reasons why a data breach happens in the first place.

It is also becoming more common that law enforcement is the source of the identification of a data breach affecting a company. Nearly 25% of data breaches affecting companies are identified by law enforcement agents who have come into possession of certain files or data that they may  not otherwise have unless a data breach had occurred.

The Impacts of a Data Breach

Security breaches can be a real problem for an affected company. Often times systems must be taken offline in order to address existing security vulnerabilities and problems, which translates to lost work time and production. Furthermore, once customers learn that there has been a data security breach at the company, the company is likely to suffer reputation damage or a loss of customers due to damaged perceptions of trust. It is important that companies that are affected by a data breach act quickly to address the problem and to notify those customers, partners, vendors, suppliers and other third parties that may have been affected by the data security breach.  

Work With a Data Breach Lawyer

It does not matter if your run a large business or a small one, data security breaches happen. When a breach happens to your business you need to be ready to act. Most companies prepare in advance of a data breach a response plan that lays out how the company will address the major events that happen after a data breach is identified. Closing the system vulnerability, raising awareness about data security amongst employees and notifying affected parties are all critical early steps that need to be taken after a data breach. Data breach notification laws vary from state to state, but the data breach notification lawyers at Revision Legal are ready and available to help you. Contact us using the form on this page or call us at 855-473-8474.

Editor’s note: this post was originally published in February, 2017. It has been updated for content and clarity.

Image Credit: Techtw twyahoo.