With data entering and exiting organizations from every angle, it can be difficult to pinpoint where the data security risks lie. Fortunately, a recent MeriTalk survey of government IT managers outlined the most frequent sources of data loss. What may be surprising is that trends like bring-your-own-device didn't pose the biggest threat. In fact, according to GCN, standard work email is the most likely channel to spring a data leak, followed closely by agency-issued devices.

GCN noted that agency officials have called for greater endpoint security, such as desktop-to-desktop encryption, but this strategy also comes with significant downsides. For example, many organizations would find it difficult to grapple with the costs of implementing effective solutions as new devices come into the workplace. Data encryption software offers the affordability organizations need as they contend with both budget limitations and the need to do more with their technology.

Encrypt data before the hackers do
In addition to mitigating the threat of lost devices and other sources of data leaks, encryption also protects information from hackers. That's probably not surprising to many organizations, but the latest strategy used by data thieves may turn a few heads. According to The Next Web, a recent string of incidents utilized malware to encrypt sensitive data and hold it for ransom. Once infected, victims' computers locked up, displaying a notice that informed them they had been hacked. The alert said that their files had been encrypted and would be deleted if fines were not paid.

As these events suggest, organizations face more than mere data loss for failing to take effective data security measures. Rather than allow hackers to hold the keys to their digital assets, companies can benefit from encrypting their information before cybercriminals gain access.