Directions : Read the following passage and answer the given questions. A data…
2023
Directions : Read the following passage and answer the given questions.
A data breach may be analogously construed as an intramural foray transpiring under the shroud of nocturnal stillness, where an infiltrator, akin to a digital brigand, subtly _________________ with invaluable assets, leaving the homeowner oblivious until the irrevocable damage manifests. In congruence, corporate entities find themselves ensnared in the surreptitious siphoning or compromise of consequential data within the digital milieu. This pervasive quandary casts its ominous pall across a myriad of global enterprises, with an astounding 83% of scrutinized organizations contending with recurrent incursions, as delineated in the comprehensive 2022 Cost of Data Breach analysis proffered by IBM.
Operationally, data breaches epitomize security conundrums culminating in the unauthorized manipulation, disclosure, access, or obliteration of personal data, opportunely exploiting systemic susceptibilities or misconfigurations. Cyber malefactors, be they individual agents or collective entities, deploy an eclectic array of stratagems—ranging from malware incursions to the subterfuge of phishing emails—enabling their ingress into corporate networks. In an epoch characterized by the ceaseless generation and utilization of data across sundry devices, systems, and applications, the peril of clandestine data access is exponentially exacerbated.
The repercussions of data breaches transcend mere pecuniary ramifications, precipitating deleterious effects on an organization's reputational standing and instigating punitive measures from regulatory bodies. International jurisdictions, attuned to the burgeoning threat matrix, have responded by promulgating stringent data protection and privacy statutes, thereby endowing individuals with autonomy over their data and obligating corporate entities to assume augmented responsibilities. Consequently, organizational prioritization of preventative and responsive stratagems becomes imperative, cognizant of the exigency of compliance with dynamically evolving regulatory paradigms amidst the contemporaneous milieu of data proliferation and cyber-security vicissitudes.
Which of the following cannot be considered as a data breach in the realm of cyber threats?
- A.
Phishing attacks that trick individuals into revealing sensitive information.
- B.
Malware infections exploiting vulnerabilities to compromise computer systems.
- C.
Utilizing standard network monitoring tools to detect and address typical network issues.
- D.
Insider threats involving malicious actions or negligence from within an organization.
- E.
None of these
Attempted by 1 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Concept
In information security, a data breach is an incident in which data is accessed, disclosed, altered, copied, or destroyed without authorization. The defining feature is the unauthorized or malicious compromise of data confidentiality, integrity, or availability. A routine, sanctioned IT operation performed to keep systems healthy is by definition NOT a breach, because it carries proper authorization and no compromise of data.
Application
The passage explicitly lists the recognised attack vectors that constitute breaches and asks which described activity does NOT fit that definition. Test each described activity against the rule — is it unauthorized/malicious compromise of data, or a legitimate operation?
Phishing that tricks individuals into revealing sensitive information — deception leading to unauthorized disclosure, so it is a breach vector.
Malware exploiting vulnerabilities to compromise systems — unauthorized compromise of systems and data, so it is a breach vector.
Insider threats from malicious actions or negligence — unauthorized or harmful handling of data from within, so it is a breach vector.
Using standard network monitoring tools to detect and address typical network issues — a sanctioned, defensive maintenance task with proper authorization and no data compromise, so it does NOT meet the definition.
Cross-check
Three of the described activities (phishing, malware, insider threats) appear in the passage as breach methods, so they cannot be the exception. Only legitimate network monitoring stands apart as authorized operational work rather than an unauthorized compromise — making it the activity that cannot be considered a data breach. Because a valid exception exists among the choices, “None of these” does not apply.