2. Definition
Information leakage is when a system designed to be
closed for outsiders reveals information to unauthorized
parties
It is very common that there is some amount of
information leakage, even though the leakage may be
harmless. There might be a leakage that you are
sending a message, but no information about the
message or to whom you are sending it
3. Special elements in this threat
There are hackers (crackers is another name used) who
seeks and exploits weaknesses in networks
Some information might also be leaked unintentionally
by mistake
Information about a companys customers or their
personal information is something that might leak and
harm the company
4. Examples
WikiLeaks is an example of a site that provides all sorts
of information leakage. It might not be from the social
media so much and the main source of the leakages are
whistleblowers.
Google accidentally leaked information about their
earnings too early, costing the company USD22 Billion
All users of social media that do not protect their privacy
sets themselves prone for identity theft
5. How to prevent the threats
DLP stands for Data Loss Prevention.
There are many companies providing softwares and
services to help companies prevent information leakage
All major antivirus companies offer DLP services
There are three different levels of DLP:
- Standard security measures that include firewalls and
antivirus software
- Advanced security measures that include detecting of
abnormal activities and employ machine learning
- Designated DLP solutions that include all intentional
and unintentional unauthorized sending or copying of
sensitive data
