A Data Spill Is a Security Violation: A Response Guide to Secure Data Handling

A data spill is a security violation that goes far beyond an IT hiccup – it can put sensitive information at serious risk. While data spills differ from data breaches due to being accidental in nature and not carried out with ill intent, they can still jeopardize security, violate compliance regulations and harm an organization’s reputation if not addressed quickly and effectively. 

In this blog, you’ll learn: 

• What data spills are 
• How they occur 
• 5 steps to respond to data spills effectively 
• Common challenges 
• How to use BCWipe to help manage data spills 

Let’s get started and find out how you can turn a difficult situation into a manageable one with the right tools and approach.

What Is a Data Spill?

Data has an inconvenient habit of residing somewhere it shouldn't. But when classified information ends up on an unauthorized system as a result of human error, the result is something more than mere inconvenience. A data spill is a security violation, also known as a negligent discharge of classified information (NDCI), that can compromise both security and compliance. 

Whether it’s classified data on unapproved systems or proprietary information in public spaces, data spills pose serious risks. Recognizing and addressing them quickly is an essential component of keeping your sensitive information protected. 

How Can Data Spills Occur? 

Data spills can happen in various ways, but they are normally caused by human error or system vulnerabilities. Here are 5 common scenarios that lead to data spillages: 

• Transfer to Unauthorized Systems
  Sensitive data can be accidentally sent to systems that are not allowed to handle it. This can happen through email attachments, file transfers, or unsecured digital media.  
• Public Exposure
  Misconfigured cloud storage, social media posts or uploads to public forums can unintentionally expose confidential data to unapproved users or the public. 
• Weak Access Controls
  Unclear user permissions can let unauthorized employees access sensitive data. This increases the risk of exposure. 
• Errors During Data Migration
  Having improper security measures in place during data migration processes can lead to sensitive information unintentionally leaking to unsecured locations. 
• Misclassification
  Incorrect labeling of files or changes in data classification, i.e. from classified to unclassified, can cause data to end up on unauthorized systems.
   

How to Manage a Data Spill in 5 Steps 

Even with strong policies and user education in place, it’s still possible for data spills to occur. Responding quickly and effectively is critical to minimize risks and prevent further exposure. Here, you can read about 5 steps that can be followed to manage a data spill: 

Step 1: Identify 

The first step in managing a data spill is to pinpoint where the spilled data resides and how far it has spread. 

Data spills are often reported by users who are able to recognize and report potential spills to designated security contacts. Beyond user reports, proactive measures like monitoring, auditing and logging can also identify data spills. 

Once data spills are identified, an immediate assessment should be carried out to track the movement, storage and access points of the spilled data, as well as affected users. 

Step 2: Contain 

Once a data spill is identified, the next step is to contain it to prevent further exposure. Containment involves isolating affected systems or users and taking immediate actions to stop the spread of sensitive information. 

In order to contain the data spill, you may have to physically isolate or logically separate compromised devices or systems from the network. Logical separation is achievable by temporarily disabling software functionality or applying stricter access controls. 

Step 3: Assess 

With the spill contained, the next step is to assess the extent of the incident and its potential impact. A thorough evaluation helps organizations determine the necessary cleanup actions and mitigate the risks associated with the spill. Assessments can include:  

• Reviewing affected systems and users. 
• Notifying data owners and understanding the sensitivity of compromised data. 
• Conducting a damage assessment to evaluate potential harm.
   

Step 4: Remediate 

Once the assessment is complete, the focus shifts to remediation—securely addressing exposed data and restoring affected systems.
 
Key considerations for remediation include: 

• Access Controls
  Restrict unauthorized access to exposed data and systems. 
• System Priority
  Focus on critical systems and data with prolonged exposure first. 
• Sanitization
  Use trusted data wiping software to securely eliminate sensitive data. 
• Future Disposal
  Plan for secure asset handling at the end of a device’s lifecycle. 
   

Step 5: Prevent 

The final step in managing a data spill is prevention. Analyzing the root cause to understand how the spill occurred and implementing measures to avoid future mishaps, such as creating an incident response plan. 

Start by reviewing the incident to identify key factors, such as policy non-compliance, procedural gaps or missing technical controls. Based on this analysis, take steps to strengthen your organization’s defenses. This may include employee training and awareness, improved technical controls, or updates to policies. 

By learning from each incident and proactively reinforcing policies and systems, organizations can significantly improve their chances of preventing data spillages in future.

Challenges of Handling Data Spills 

Managing data spills is a complex process, but 3 key challenges stand out: 

1. Time Sensitivity 

The longer a data spill goes unresolved, the greater the risk of exposure, dissemination and damage. Containing and remediating a spill requires immediate action, but quickly identifying all affected systems, users and data can be a difficult task without the proper tools in place. 

2. Tracking Data’s Path 

Understanding where spilled data has moved is essential to containment and remediation. But sensitive data might be copied, forwarded or stored in multiple locations—emails, backups, shared drives or external platforms—making it challenging to trace its full journey. 

3. Ensuring Sanitization 

Even after data has been identified and contained, verifying that it has been permanently removed is vital. You want to ensure that no overlooked files, backups or cached data re-emerge later, potentially reigniting the incident. Confidence in complete eradication requires precise tools and robust processes. 

Best Practices for Cleaning Up a Data Spill with BCWipe 

Search is a new feature for BCWipe, Jetico’s long-trusted data wiping software. Designed to help administrators efficiently locate sensitive data across endpoint devices, Search can help organizations manage data spills and mitigate the 3 challenges listed above. 

Identify Data Spills Quickly & Track Data’s Path with Search 

BCWipe’s Search tool allows organizations to efficiently locate and assess spilled data with precision. By using Search’s advanced filters, you can narrow search results by parameters such as file size, type or creation date. So, if the data spill happened recently, you can focus your search on the relevant timeframe. 

You can also use Search to upload a file’s hash —a unique digital signature— to locate exact matches across devices, eliminating the need for manual searching. In addition to using Search to find identical files, the feature can also rate the similarity or proximity of other files to the original. This can help to discover files that may have been tampered with or changed to some extent, with users then able to decide if they want these similar files to be wiped as well.  

Sanitize Files Immediately with BCWipe 

After identifying files with Search, you would normally move to the Contain step that is explained above. However, because BCWipe’s remote management allows you to react so fast, you won’t need to isolate the affected endpoints or disconnect them from the network. Instead, once you have used Search to pinpoint where spilled data resides and track the information’s full path across your systems, you can immediately sanitize the data from multiple endpoints by clicking a single button. 

Verify Wiping Results 

After wiping is complete, you will receive confirmation of sanitization, log files and a certificate of destruction that may be required for compliance or auditing purposes. You can now choose to run a sector-level verification with BCWipe, which will eliminate the possibility of error by checking every sector to make sure data has been overwritten for good. If you’re still looking for additional reassurance, feel free to run Search again to make sure the data is no longer there. 

Respond to Data Spills with BCWipe 

Trusted by the U.S. Department of Defense for over 20 years, BCWipe is Jetico’s software for wiping files and data remanence beyond forensic recovery, such as in response to classified data spills. BCWipe supports the U.S. DoD 5220.22-M wiping schemes, as well as the IEEE 2883-2022 and NIST 800-88 standards. BCWipe – Enterprise includes the Search feature and central management for remote wiping and client software control. 
 
To get started with BCWipe and the new Search feature, you can contact our Data Protection Specialist and request a free trial or demo.