The National Security Agency (NSA) is regarded as one of the most secure agencies in the world. While the NSAs exact operating budget isn’t known, it’s estimated to be in the billions. Despite this fact, the NSA has been breached multiple times in huge breaches that still have long-lasting effects. In this blog, we’ll cover the history of past NSA breaches, statistics of breaches in general, and how even small to medium-sized organizations are targets for hackers.
The History of NSA Breaches
Although the exact number of NSA breaches will be unknown since most are classified, here are the confirmed public breaches and the backlash from them:
Edward Snowden (2013): Edward Snowden was an NSA contractor who used his administrative access to download classified documents from NSA servers. He ended up fleeing the country and leaked these documents to journalists. The leaks exposed massive global surveillance programs, causing relations with U.S. civilians and foreign parties to become strained.
Harold Martin (2016): Another contractor for the NSA, Harold Martin took home terabytes of classified materials over a span of two decades. He even stored it in very unsecure locations such as his car or house. It’s unknown if the data was leaked but the NSA has faced scrutiny for its inability to detect this prolonged large-scale theft.
Shadow Brokers (2016-2017): This group claims to have stolen NSA hacking tools. They released these tools online including Eternal Blue, which was used in a famous ransomware attack, WannaCry. This breach caused billions of dollars in damages worldwide and the NSA faced criticism for stockpiling vulnerabilities instead of disclosing them for public safety.
Photo by Venafi
Statistics of Data Breaches
Breaches like those affect organizations of all sizes, here’s an overview of data breach statistics and how they affect any organization size:
- The average total cost of a data breach is $4.88 million
- 65% of data breaches involved internal actors
- The average time to contain a breach was 64 days
- There were 06 billion malware attacks globally in 2023
Data breaches are a costly and frequent reality, which can affect any business. Having robust cybersecurity measures is not optional anymore, they are essential for survival and business continuity.
Why Small to Medium-Sized Organizations Are Targets
As we’ve said, these breaches do affect organizations of any size. But most organizations think they are too small to be targeted; they’re not. It’s more dangerous for a smaller business to be breached since they have less capital to cover the costs of a breach. Here are just a few more statistics to get this point across:
- 46% of all cyber breaches impact businesses with fewer than 1,000 employees
- 61% of small businesses were the target of a cyberattack in 2021
- 95% of cybersecurity incidents at small businesses cost between $826 and $653,578.
Photo by SecurityIntelligence
Ways to Minimize Data Breaches
The whole point of this blog is to get the point across that it’s not how a data breach will happen but when. If organizations as big as the NSA can get breached, anyone is a target. However, there are some proactive measures businesses can implement to prevent or minimize these threats.
- Partnering with a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP): The expenses of maintaining an in-house IT team can be costly, especially for small businesses. Partnering with an MSSP can give you the benefits of an in-house team but with extra cost savings.
- Security Audit: These are crucial for businesses since they can identify potential risks and vulnerabilities before they become a big issue. Essentially, a checklist of how well an organization is protecting data against cyber threats.
- Educating Employees: Studies show that the vast majority of data breaches have been caused by human error. Due to that fact, training employees on cybersecurity best practices and procedures will ensure they are aware of their responsibilities in protecting the organization’s assets.
- Incident Response Plan: Having an incident response plan is critical when protecting assets in the event of a breach. A strong, well-crafted plan can minimize any breach that may have occurred.
Why Proactive Cybersecurity Isn’t Optional Anymore
Implementing these measures is critical in today’s ever-evolving internet landscape. Every business is a target for these cyber criminals. Especially for medium and small-sized businesses with fewer resources, they have the biggest challenges. That’s where a trusted partner like Kirkham IronTech comes in.
As a top 250 MSSP, we specialize in managed IT and cybersecurity services to help organizations safeguard their data through tailored solutions. Our IronTech Framework, focuses on cybersecurity, IT infrastructure, and governance, helping businesses minimize risk while maximizing ROI.
Don’t Wait for A Breach to Happen, Let Kirkham Irontech Be On Your Side!
Give Us a Call: (479) 434-1400 – Speak directly with our team of experts.
Explore Our Website: www.kirkhamirontech.com – Discover the services we offer to protect your business.
Send Us an Email: info@kirkhamirontech.com – Reach out and let us know how we can support your organization.
Tom Kirkham brings more than three decades of software design, network administration, and cybersecurity knowledge to organizations around the country. During his career, Tom has received multiple software design awards and founded other acclaimed technology businesses.
