[Blog](/blog) Show links Resources [Blog](/blog) [Breaches](/breaches) [eBooks, reports, & more](/resources) [Events](/events) [News](/news) [Cybersecurity](/category/cybersecurity) Show links Categories [Attack Surface Management](/category/attack-surface-management) [Company News](/category/company-news) [Compliance and Regulations](/category/compliance-and-regulations) [Cybersecurity](/category/cybersecurity) [Data Breaches](/category/data-breaches) [DevOps](/category/devops) [Human Cyber Risk](/category/human-cyber-risk) [Risks and Vulnerabilities](/category/risks-and-vulnerabilities) [Third-Party Risk Management](/category/third-party-risk-management) [Vendor Risk Management](/category/vendor-risk-management) [Data Breach vs. Data Leak: What's the Difference?](/blog/data-breach-vs-data-leak) Publish date October 21, 2026 {x} minute read # Data Breach vs. Data Leak: What's the Difference? [Get a demo](/contact-sales) [Free trial](/demo) [Download the PDF guide](/resources/the-lean-security-teams-playbook-for-dark-web-incident-response) [Free trial](/demo) Written by [Edward Kost](/team/edward-kost) Senior Cybersecurity Writer Edward is a cyber writer with a mechanical engineering background. His work has been referenced by academic institutions and government bodies. Reviewed by [Phil Ross](/team/phil-ross) Chief Information Security Officer Phil is a Forrester Zero Trust Strategist leveraging decades of experience in enterprise cybersecurity architectures. Table of contents Whitepaper The Lean Security Team's Playbook for Dark Web incident Response Free resource ### The Lean Security Team's Playbook for Dark Web incident Response [Download now](/resources/the-lean-security-teams-playbook-for-dark-web-incident-response) Simply put, a data leak is when [sensitive data](https://www.upguard.com/blog/sensitive-data) is unknowingly exposed to the public, and a [data breach](https://www.upguard.com/blog/data-breach) is an event caused by a [cyberattack](https://www.upguard.com/blog/cyber-attack). An example of a data leak is a software misconfiguration facilitating unauthorized access to sensitive resources - such as the [major Microsoft Power Apps data leak in 2021](https://www.upguard.com/breaches/power-apps). An example of a data breach is a cybercriminal overcoming [network security](https://www.upguard.com/blog/network-security) controls to gain access to sensitive resources. These cyber events are more common, and there are[ plenty of examples supporting this claim](https://www.upguard.com/blog/biggest-data-breaches). The outcome of data leaks and data breaches is the same - sensitive data is compromised. The primary differentiator between the two events is the impetus leading to this objective. [Get your free data breach prevention guide >](https://www.upguard.com/resources/complete-guide-to-data-breaches) Data breaches require an external trigger to initiate a process leading to data compromise. This trigger is usually an action performed by a cybercriminal, such as a [phishing attack](https://www.upguard.com/blog/phishing). Data leakage, on the other hand, results from an internal trigger. Internal security teams could overlook a software vulnerability exposing confidential data, or [insider threats](https://www.upguard.com/blog/insider-threat) could purposely establish [attack vectors](https://www.upguard.com/blog/attack-vector) for hackers to access sensitive data. Data loss is another term commonly associated with data leaks and data breaches. Data loss occurs when sensitive data is irrevocably lost, either through theft or deletion. Data loss prevention (DLP) strategies aim to confine sensitive data within a set boundary to prevent its transfer into hostile environments. [Learn more about the differences between data leaks, data breaches, and data loss >](https://www.upguard.com/blog/data-loss-vs-data-leaks) ## What is Considered a Data Leak? Any internal event exposing confidential information to an insecure environment that isn't a cyberattack is considered a data leak. These events can be both digital and physical. Physical data leaks, such as insider threats, are more difficult to intercept because you're usually contending with a strategizing adversary rather than a static digital exposure. When sensitive data is stolen from either a data breach[ or a ransomware attack](https://www.upguard.com/blog/protecting-employee-credentials-from-ransomware-compromise) and published on the dark web, these events are also classified as data leaks. Besides insider threats, a physical data leak could include insecure physical devices storing sensitive information, such as passwordless external hard drives. The inclusion of physical events widens the scope of data leaks and further differentiates them from data breaches, since breaches only occur in the digital realm. Security policies and [data security](https://www.upguard.com/blog/data-security) strategies must consider the diversity of data leak types to maximize the potential of mitigation efforts. The types of data commonly exposed in a data leakage include: * Personal Identifiable Information (PII) * Social security numbers * Trade secrets * Credit card numbers * Financial information * Intellectual property * Personal data * Medical or Personal Health Information (PHI) ## Examples of Events that Cause Data Leaks Some examples of security incidents that [cause data leakage include](https://www.upguard.com/blog/common-data-leak-causes): * Misconfigured software settings * [Cloud storage misconfigurations](https://www.upguard.com/blog/cloud-misconfiguration) (such as [insecure Amazon S3 buckets](https://www.upguard.com/blog/s3-security-is-flawed-by-design)) * Firewall misconfigurations * Software vulnerabilities * Weak passwords (because they can be easily discovered with [brute force methods](https://www.upguard.com/blog/brute-force-attack)) * Physical theft of sensitive devices Though an external factor causes these events, social engineering could also be considered a data leak vector. This is because the information exposed in a successful social engineering attack isn't always sensitive enough to be considered a breach. The bounty from these attacks provides just enough ammunition to access a private network and initiate a data breach campaign. [Learn more about social engineering >](https://www.upguard.com/blog/social-engineering) ## What is Considered a Data Breach? Any event that exposes sensitive data due to cybercriminal activity is considered a data breach. Data breaches and their associated damage costs are currently climbing a steep trend. The [average cost of a data breach](https://www.upguard.com/blog/cost-of-data-breach) in 2021 was $US 4.24 million, a record high. Data breaches have been around longer than data leaks. The recent explosion of [digital transformation](https://www.upguard.com/blog/digital-risk) placed data leaks in the [cybersecurity](https://www.upguard.com/blog/cyber-security) spotlight due to the resulting rapid expansion of the attack surface. Because of this, data protection and security measures specific to data security are now becoming standard components of cybersecurity programs.\ ‍ ### Examples of Events that Cause Data Breaches Some examples of security incidents that lead to data breaches include: * [Malware](https://www.upguard.com/blog/malware) infections * [Ransomware attacks](https://www.upguard.com/blog/what-is-ransomware-as-a-service) * Insecure endpoints * [System vulnerabilities](https://www.upguard.com/blog/vulnerability) * [Exfiltrated data](https://www.upguard.com/blog/how-to-detect-data-exfiltration) posted in dark web forums * [Spyware](https://www.upguard.com/blog/spyware) * Insecure passwords * [Third-party breaches](https://www.upguard.com/blog/manage-third-party-risk) ## Preventing Data Breaches and Data Leaks The motivation to prevent these cyber events should be more than just to avoid [identity theft](https://www.upguard.com/blog/identity-theft). Incident response policies must address these events because most security regulations, such as [HIPAA](https://www.upguard.com/blog/hipaa-privacy-rule) and the [GDPR](https://www.upguard.com/blog/how-to-be-gdpr-compliant), enforce this level of due diligence. The price for non-compliance is high, especially for highly regulated industries like healthcare and [finance](https://www.upguard.com/blog/cybersecurity-regulations-financial-industry). The following best cybersecurity practices could help [prevent data leaks, data breaches](https://www.upguard.com/blog/data-leak-prevention-tips), and the considerable costs of these events: * Monitor your internal and external attack surface for security exposures * Implement a data leak detection solution * Teach staff how to recognize and block social engineer attempts through educational webinars * Use multi-factor authentication * Use a Single-Sign-On solution to mitigate weak passwords and password recycling. * Monitor all network access * Encrypt data in rest and transit * Secure all [privileged access accounts](https://www.upguard.com/blog/prevent-supply-chain-attacks-by-securing-pam) [Learn how to reduce data leak false positives >](https://www.upguard.com/blog/how-to-reduce-false-positives-in-data-leak-detection) Whitepaper The Lean Security Team's Playbook for Dark Web incident Response Free resource ### The Lean Security Team's Playbook for Dark Web incident Response [Download now](/resources/the-lean-security-teams-playbook-for-dark-web-incident-response) ## Related posts Learn more about the latest issues in cybersecurity. Cybersecurity #### [12 Cybersecurity Horror Stories of 2026 (No Costume Required)](/blog/cybersecurity-horror-stories-2026) A warning ignored once becomes a headline. Read more about these 12 real 2026 cybersecurity incidents, and the sign each one gave before it made the news. [](/team/revashni-moodley) [Revashni Moodley](#) October 14, 2026 Cybersecurity #### [Left Unsupervised: 10 Times Access Outlived Its Authorization](/blog/10-times-access-outlived-authorization) Access granted once shouldn’t mean access forever. Read more on how unmonitored access caused 10 of these real-life breaches and what they taught us. [](/team/revashni-moodley) [Revashni Moodley](#) August 25, 2026 Cybersecurity #### [Surviving a LockBit Ransomware Attack: The ROI of Visibility](/blog/surviving-a-lockbit-ransomware-attack) Read how veteran CISO Nick Gicinto saved his alma mater from a LockBit ransomware attack by discarding the standard playbook. [](/team/nicholas-sollitto) [Nicholas Sollitto](#) June 1, 2026 Cybersecurity #### [Top 10 Security Events of 2025](/blog/top-security-events-of-2025) Recap the ten most impactful events that reshaped the cybersecurity industry this year and the critical lessons each had to teach us. Read more here. [](/team/revashni-moodley) [Revashni Moodley](#) October 14, 2026 Cybersecurity #### [Risk Automations: The Shift From Catch-Up to Command](/blog/risk-automations-shift-catch-up-to-command) Connect intelligence to system execution with Risk Automations, your new resolution layer for risk. Reduce remediation from hours to seconds - read more. [](/team/revashni-moodley) [Revashni Moodley](#) December 1, 2025 Cybersecurity #### [Shai-Hulud's True Lesson for CISOs: A Crisis of Communication](/blog/shai-hulud-lesson-for-cisos) Shai-Hulud was driven by a communication crisis between security and engineering. Get a CISO's perspective on how to finally bridge this gap. [](/team/phil-ross) [Phil Ross](#) September 3, 2026 [All posts](/blog) Experience superior visibility and a simpler approach to cyber risk management [Get a demo](/contact-sales) [Free trial](/demo)