Internal data breach

Internal data breaches are on the rise, with 70% of security professionals reporting that it’s happened to them in the last five years.

According to a survey conducted by email security company Egress, accidental internal breaches are one of the top three concerns for IT security decision makers along with external hacks and malware.

Among the other findings in the report, fewer than than 40% (39.6%) of organizations train best cybersecurity practices and data hygiene to employees, and 26% of respondents did not use encryption when transmitting data externally. 

While e-mail applications are a leading cause of accidental breaches, file sharing services, collaboration tools, and SMS apps represent significant risks.

Respondents did indicate a new urgency with regard to compliance with privacy- and security-centric regulations such aspol the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation and California’s pending California Consumer Privacy Act.