CISOs often focus on protecting structured data such as credit cards, passwords and personal health information. But a new report from IBM
CISOs often focus on protecting structured data such as credit cards, passwords and personal health information. But a new report from IBM reminds infosec pros that unstructured data — ranging from the contents of email, source code and intellectual property — is just as high on the target list of attackers.
In fact, the report notes, the 5GB of data stolen from an Ontario casino ranks among the top global leaks of unstructured data last year. The breach at Casino Rama Resort allegedly included the facility’s IT information, financial reports regarding the hotel and casino, security incident reports, patron credit inquiries, collection and debt information and more.
That observation and others come from IBM’s 2017 Threat Intelligence Index (registration required), which looks back at 2016 makes some interesting conclusions.
Most readers, of course, will remember the hack of email from the U. S. Democratic Party as a prime example of a theft of unstructured data, incidents that are still in the headlines south of the border.
But the report also notes the April 2016 leak of 11.5 million documents from a Panamanian law firm which exposed offshore accounting of thousands of prominent people from around the world. Reporters from around the world have dipped into “Panama Papers,” as they were dubbed, which showed insider financials of several current and former heads of state, their friends and family, as well as businesspeople and celebrities.
