What Is Data Leakage

This report provides a concise primer on data leakage: how sensitive information can leave organizations through accidental or intentional means, how it differs from sudden breaches, and common real‑world examples (unsecured cloud storage, leaked credentials, vendor compromises). It covers enabling factors like unpatched or misconfigured systems and third‑party risk, describes the role of the dark web in monetizing leaked data, and recommends layered defenses—data classification, DLP tools, monitoring, user training, zero trust architectures, and managed services—to detect and prevent exfiltration.