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4 File and Email Communication Takeaways From the 2023 Verizon DBIR

by Patrick Spencer updated June 7, 2023 Cybersecurity Risk Management

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As always, the recently released Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) for 2023 is an absolute goldmine of insightful, data-driven findings that can help businesses of all kinds improve their understanding of the prevailing threat landscape. This annual report details the state of cybersecurity incidents and data breaches from the past year and offers businesses an invaluable snapshot of the challenges they face in the digital world. From a Kiteworks standpoint, there are several areas of focus within the DBIR that require thorough unpacking and understanding.

Grasping the Full Implications of the DBIR

The Indispensable DBIR

The DBIR from Verizon is more than just a yearly publication; it’s a must-have resource for businesses, offering crucial insights into the evolving world of data breaches and cyber threats. Not only does it offer a holistic perspective on the current threat environment, but it also provides actionable intelligence that can be leveraged to enhance existing security protocols, identify vulnerabilities, and ensure the continued safety of business operations.

Why the DBIR Matters

In an era where digital interactions form the backbone of most businesses, the significance of cybersecurity cannot be overstated. Data breaches and cyberattacks can lead to not just financial loss but also inflict irreversible damage to a company’s reputation. The DBIR helps businesses stay abreast of the changing tactics, techniques, and procedures employed by cyber adversaries, enabling them to anticipate threats and prepare accordingly.

While the DBIR is packed full of useful insights, the following four findings and takeaway areas are the most relevant for organizations seeking to measure and manage their file and email data communication risks. (Also, see my blog post on takeaways from the 2022 Verizon DBIR: “Prime Cyber Targets According to the 2022 Verizon DBIR.”)

1. The Assault on Personal Data: An Examination of PII and PHI Threats

The Pervasive Threat Landscape

A staggering revelation from the DBIR is that more than 50% of cyberattacks are now targeting personal data, including personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI). With numerous data privacy laws coming into effect globally—10 state laws in the U.S. alone—companies are under immense pressure to ensure that personal data is safeguarded, especially for email and file communications.

Mitigating Personal Data Threats With Kiteworks

In response to this growing threat, Kiteworks’ Private Content Network offers a robust solution. Our platform is equipped with advanced encryption technologies, effectively protecting personal data during transit and at rest. It also consolidates all your file and email communications into one platform with tracking and controls that enable risk and compliance management professionals to apply policy-based zero trust, which dramatically minimizes the risk of PII and PHI data leakage—inadvertent and intentional.

2. Tackling the Surge of Email Social Engineering

An Emerging and Complex Challenge

Another disconcerting trend highlighted in the DBIR is the rise in email social engineering. According to the report, nearly 60% of such attacks are now using pretexting, a technique that manipulates existing email trails to win the trust of the recipient and gain unauthorized access. These attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, underscoring the need for advanced, reliable email security measures.

How Kiteworks Counters Email Social Engineering

Kiteworks employs a multilayered approach to mitigate the risks associated with email social engineering. Our platform:

Operates on a closed, invitation-only email system, drastically reducing the likelihood of attackers infiltrating the system to initiate social engineering attacks.
Employs integrated antivirus, advanced threat protection (ATP), and content disarm and reconstruction (CDR) techniques to scan emails and halt potential attacks in their tracks.
Utilizes digital fingerprinting to verify the integrity of attachments, ensuring that they have not been tampered with or manipulated.
Implements multi-factor authentication (MFA), providing an additional line of defense against credential attacks.

3. Sensitive Content Exposed From Misdelivery

The Growing Threat of Misdelivery

Misdelivery, as defined in the Verizon DBIR, refers to incidents where sensitive data ends up in the hands of unintended recipients or is dispatched to an unknown destination. Given the surge in digital communications, instances of misdelivery have seen an alarming rise (now comprising 43% of compromised security incidents resulting from unintentional actions), leading to an increased risk of sensitive data exposure.

The DBIR findings highlight the human element as a contributing factor in misdelivery incidents. Regardless of how vigilant individuals are, human errors are inevitable and can result in devastating data breaches. Whether it is sending an email to the wrong recipient or inadvertently uploading a confidential file to a public server, the risk is real and significant.

Kiteworks’ Strategy to Prevent Misdelivery

To combat this escalating threat of misdelivery, the Kiteworks Private Content Network offers an efficient and sophisticated solution that operates on several levels. Our platform employs stringent controls over data transmission, extending far beyond simple access permissions. We utilize advanced features such as secure file transfer protocols, multi-factor authentication, and end-to-end encryption to enhance the security of data transmissions.

These rigorous controls ensure that only authorized recipients gain access to sensitive data. By enforcing these meticulous checks at every stage of the data transmission process, we minimize the risk of accidental data disclosure due to misdelivery. The cornerstone of our preventive strategy is our content-defined zero-trust approach. This model operates on the premise that no user, whether inside or outside the network, is implicitly trusted. Every access request is thoroughly vetted and authenticated before access is granted.

This approach, coupled with our extensive auditing and tracking capabilities, creates a secure environment where data transmissions can be closely monitored and controlled. It allows for real-time tracking and retrospective analysis of data movements, providing a comprehensive view of who accessed which piece of information and when. The objective is not only to ensure the right data reaches the right recipient at the right time but also to provide a robust audit log that can help investigate and rectify any anomalies swiftly.

4. Navigating the Troublesome Waters of Publishing Errors

The Perils of Publishing Errors

Publishing errors, another concerning trend highlighted in the DBIR, occur when confidential content is inadvertently made accessible to an inappropriate audience. Whether due to a misconfigured security setting or an erroneous release of a document, publishing errors can lead to significant data leaks and pose serious security threats.

The human factor plays a pivotal role here as well, with errors often arising from a lack of understanding of security protocols, carelessness, or simple mistakes. Despite a decrease in misconfigurations, publishing errors are trending upward, posing a fresh challenge for businesses.

Countering Publishing Errors With Kiteworks

Kiteworks steps up to this challenge with a proactive solution. Our platform is designed to offer granular control over content access and sharing. Users can define access parameters, ensuring that content is only available to its intended audience. This way, inadvertent publishing to the wrong audience is prevented.

With our content-defined zero-trust approach, Kiteworks ensures the safe handling of sensitive content, preventing publishing errors and boosting overall data security. We also provide robust user training to minimize human errors, reinforcing the importance of correct content sharing practices and driving awareness about the potential risks of publishing errors.

In both instances of misdelivery and publishing errors, it is evident that human errors play a significant role. By offering a secure, user-friendly platform, and providing effective user training, Kiteworks helps businesses minimize these risks, ensuring a safe and secure digital communication environment.

A Deeper Dive Into Cybersecurity: The Integral Role of Kiteworks

In the throes of a swiftly evolving digital landscape, businesses must remain vigilant and agile to counter emerging cybersecurity threats. The Verizon DBIR of 2023 serves as a critical compass, illuminating these threats and detailing their potential impact on data security.

In this complex terrain, Kiteworks offers businesses an innovative solution with our Private Content Network. This platform unifies, tracks, controls, and secures file and email data communications and employs comprehensive security capabilities and layering to safeguard personal data, thwart email social engineering, and preempt the recurrent missteps of misdelivery and publishing errors. Through a combination of state-of-the-art encryption, cutting-edge threat detection, and rigorous access controls, we ensure your sensitive content remains secure.

Digital Rights Management and NIST CSF Alignment

Kiteworks brings to the table a potent alignment with the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CSF). Our adherence to this globally recognized standard bolsters our defenses and enhances the resilience of our network. This alignment equips us to better manage and reduce cybersecurity risks, providing your business with a secure platform that meets globally recognized best practices.

In tandem with our NIST CSF alignment, our platform also incorporates digital rights management (DRM) controls that provide granular control over your sensitive data. This feature allows you to set specific permissions for your files and emails, ensuring they can only be accessed or modified by authorized individuals.

With DRM, businesses can securely manage and track their sensitive data across multiple devices and platforms, providing an additional layer of security. This, combined with our NIST CSF alignment, offers your business an unparalleled level of protection against data breaches and cyberattacks.

Rising to Meet Emerging Cybersecurity Challenges

As cyber threats continue to grow in sophistication, securing your content communications transitions from a luxury to an absolute necessity. In this context, businesses can rely on Kiteworks for a comprehensive solution that meets these burgeoning threats head-on, providing the security required in an ever-changing digital domain.

The insights gleaned from the DBIR, combined with the robust security capabilities of Kiteworks, furnish businesses with the requisite tools to confront the future of cybersecurity with confidence. By understanding the risks and wielding the right tools, we can collectively strive toward a safer, more secure digital landscape.

Aiming for a Safer Future: Kiteworks and Cybersecurity

In an increasingly digital era, the significance of cybersecurity is paramount. The revelations from the Verizon DBIR underscore the crucial need for potent security measures, particularly for protecting personal data, combating social engineering, and precluding misdelivery and publishing errors.

At Kiteworks, we’re acutely aware of these challenges and are dedicated to tackling them effectively. Our Private Content Network offers a broad array of solutions designed to mitigate these risks and secure sensitive content communications competently.

A Resilient Future With Kiteworks

Kiteworks stands ready to guide you through this challenging landscape. We offer a robust, comprehensive security solution designed to tackle the rising threats in today’s digital world head-on. Our Private Content Network delivers the controls and tools necessary to safeguard your sensitive content, empowering your business to operate with peace of mind in an increasingly interconnected world.

Our strength lies in the resilience of our platform, designed with several key features:

Advanced Encryption: Our state-of-the-art encryption techniques protect data both in transit and at rest, ensuring that your personal information is always secure.
Integrated Threat Protection: We offer integrated antivirus, ATP, and CDR capabilities to provide multilayered protection against email social engineering attacks.
Closed, Invitation-only System: Our email system operates on an invitation-only basis, limiting the possibility of external attacks.
Digital Fingerprinting: This feature verifies the integrity of email attachments, reducing the risk of tampering or manipulation.
Multi-factor Authentication: Our system requires multiple forms of identification for access, offering additional protection against credential-based attacks.
Zero-trust Approach: Our content-defined zero-trust approach ensures data is shared only with the right people, preventing misdelivery and publishing errors.

IT, security, risk, data protection, and compliance leaders interested in understanding how Kiteworks addresses cyber threats detailed in the DBIR can schedule a custom-tailored demo today.

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