Sensitive Data Exposure Mitigation

If your application does not use secure protocols, such as HTTPS, it will transmit data in clear text, both internally and over the internet. This leaves your data vulnerable, and anyone who is able to access your network traffic or intercept your traffic over the web will have access to the data. This is also valid for data in rest: if you are storing data in clear text, including backup files, then it is vulnerable.

Sensitive data needs to be well protected. Old or weak cryptographic algorithms, and default or weak cryptographic keys, do not offer sufficient protection for sensitive data. Even the strongest cryptographic algorithms can be undermined. Commonly, system admins weaken their system when cryptographic keys are reused or when there is improper key management and rotation. Encryption also needs to be consistently enforced: if the server supports encryption but not all data is encrypted or if the system does not verify certificates from outside sources, then all your data becomes vulnerable.

Sensitive data, therefore, requires a high level of security that needs to be enforced in several ways. In the following videos, you will learn how to target credit card details, which are particularly appealing to hackers.