Data leaks have become commonplace in the internet age. Even the largest companies are not immune. In today's explainer, we'll explore why data leaks occur and what hackers do with them.

Why does data leak happen?

Data has become as important today as oil once was. Companies worldwide are competing for data. The more data they possess, the more powerful they become. With the advent of AI, the need for data has become even greater, as AI models are trained using data. While governments and companies collect data through various legitimate methods, hackers and cybercriminals resort to various illegal methods to collect data, leading to incidents like data leaks and data breaches. In today's explainer, we'll explore why data leaks occur and why hackers need people's data.

What is a data leak?

If you're active on social media, you've likely heard the term data leak many times. Often, news surfaces that data belonging to thousands or even millions of users of a company has been leaked. In reality, a data leak occurs when an internal party or source accidentally or inadvertently leaks sensitive information.

What is a data breach and how is it different from a data leak?

Many people mistake a data leak and a data breach for the same thing. This is because the two terms are often used interchangeably, but there's a significant difference. As we mentioned, a data leak typically occurs due to a mistake or accident by a company or organization, while a data breach occurs when confidential or protected information is accessed or stolen without authorization.

How does data leak happen?

Weak infrastructure - Weak infrastructure increases the risk of data leaks. Poorly configured or maintained systems reduce the robustness of the infrastructure. Incorrect settings or permissions can also lead to unauthorized access. Delays in replacing faulty components or patching software can also lead to data leaks.

Social Engineering Scams - While social engineering scams are external attacks, they are only successful if the target falls for them. Cybercriminals can infiltrate a company's network or system through social media, calls, or emails.

Weak Passwords - Using strong passwords is essential to staying safe in the digital world. If an individual or organization uses the same password multiple times, it becomes easy to bypass it. Furthermore, passwords can often be discovered through other tricks.

Stolen devices – Stolen laptops, storage devices, mobile phones, and other devices can also leak data. These devices can be used to breach an organization's network.

Software flaws - Outdated software can also pose a threat to data. Cybercriminals can exploit security flaws in outdated software to gain access to data.

Outdated data – As a company grows, its infrastructure upgrades and systems change. In such situations, old data is often neglected, leaving it vulnerable to exposure.

Why do cybercriminals steal your data?

Hacking and data theft are big business for cybercriminals. They sell this data on the dark web for substantial sums of money. People on the dark web purchase this data for various purposes, including fraud, account takeovers, and ransomware. Stolen data is also used for unauthorized credit card purchases, loan acquisition, and tax fraud. Login details are often stolen to access online shopping platforms, such as online shopping platforms. In such cases, the target can suffer significant financial losses. Cybercriminals often steal data to harm a company or organization. Hackers gain access to the data by hacking into the company's network or installing malware.

In what ways is data stolen?

Phishing - Cybercriminals attempt to steal important information by sending fake messages or emails that appear genuine to their targets.

Malware - Installing malware on a network or device can also steal a target's information. 

Weak Passwords - Often, weak or commonly used passwords are used to steal a target's data.

Data Breach - Sensitive information about users is stolen by gaining access to a company's database or network.

Social Engineering - Hackers gain the target's trust by posing as a government or company official and then extract personal information from them.

Public Wi-Fi - Security layers on public Wi-Fi are low. Taking advantage of this, these criminals can intercept data between the user and the network.

Fake Apps and Websites - Hackers often create fake apps and websites to steal personal information. People are lured to these websites and apps by attractive advertisements.