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Sneaky hackers creep around a data center causing trouble.

Anatomy of a Data Breach (2014)

When it comes to the 2014 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), web application, cyber-espionage and POS intrusions topped off the list of most frequently occurring categories of data breaches. In Verizon DBIR 2014: Stolen Credentials to Blame, Again and Again, I wrote a more in-depth summary of the top categories of attack and industries targeted within each, as well as hacking methods.

The one common theme throughout most of the attack vectors includes Verizon’s recommendation for the one security control that transcends many different categories of attack, from retail to crimeware - that is, two-factor authentication.

Why is two-factor such a fundamental aspect of any organization’s information security strategy? It brings a lot to the table in one simple solution:

  • Provides a secure second layer of defense that remote attackers can’t penetrate
  • Protects any type of account you log into, from web apps to VPNs to enterprise cloud-based apps
  • Modern two-factor solutions allow authentication through convenient mobile apps, letting you verify your identity without requiring an extra device

In this infographic from the creative team of Duo Security, we depict the top threat types, top targeted industries, hacking types, web attack motives and more to give you an idea of what the data breach landscape was in the past year. Check it out below!

In every scenario, two-factor authentication can help prevent the success of these attacks. But not every two-factor solution is created equal - download and read our Two-Factor Evaluation Guide to find out which solution works for your organization.

Anatomy of a Data Breach 2014