Data Protection

Experts agree it’s not whether the next big data breach will happen, but when. Recent reports of a ring of thieves that hacked into the networks of TJX, BJ's Wholesale Club, OfficeMax, Boston Market, Barnes & Noble, Dave & Buster's, Sports Authority, Forever 21, and DSW have become all too familiar. After gaining access to the database, the thieves installed programs that captured card numbers, passwords, and account information, officials said. These vital pieces of personal data were then traded or sold - exposing over 41 million consumers to identity theft and fraud.
Commenting on what is the largest and most complex data heist in history, Ted Julian of AppSec said, "There are thousands of conduits to customer data. What is needed is a different approach that secures data at the source." (Boston Globe, 8/6/2008)
What you don't know about data security can hurt you! As reported in Verizon's comprehensive report on data breaches, intrusion attempts targeting the application layer were more common than even OS attacks.
Here are some other surprising facts from the study:

• 87% of all data breaches are avoidable
• 75% of breaches are discovered by someone other than the victim company
• 66% involved data the victim did not know was on the system
• 59% resulted from hacking and intrusions
• 39% implicated business partners
• 18% were caused by insiders but these were much larger that external source attacks

What can be done?

• Find, track and assess all enterprise data
• Take steps to ensure essential controls and compliance measures are met
• Automate security checks against the database
• Continuously monitor systems and event logs for suspicious activity

AppSec will assist your organization with a free vulnerability assessment (a $900 value). Our security professionals will help you uncover hidden weaknesses in your present systems.Email us at sales@appsecinc.com to schedule your assessment today.