Information leaks pose a growing and multifaceted risk to organizations across sectors. While often associated with cybersecurity breaches, the majority of such incidents stem from human error or intentional misconduct. On 25 June 2025, K2 Integrity hosted a webinar that explored the causes, consequences, and investigative approaches to information leaks.
The panel featured moderator Roisin Murray, senior director in K2 Integrity’s Investigations and Disputes practice; Shannon Rainey, senior managing director; and Robin Henry, associate managing director.
Understanding Information Leaks: Scope and Significance
Information leaks occur when sensitive or confidential data is disclosed beyond its intended audience. These disclosures may be internal (e.g., between unauthorized departments) or external (e.g., to the media or competitors). The impacts can be severe, ranging from reputational damage and loss of competitive advantage to regulatory penalties and litigation. Leaks can involve the transfer of physical documents (e.g., printed board materials), bugging or surveillance (e.g., wiretaps in executive offices), former employees retaining platform access, and contractors unintentionally sharing IP on personal accounts.
Key risk categories include:
- Reputational Harm: Loss of stakeholder trust and damage to brand equity.
- Regulatory Fines: Breaches involving personal data or IP may result in legal and financial penalties.
- Business Disruption: Leaks can lead to share price drops, legal disputes, and business development setbacks.
Recent global examples include the accidental leak of U.S. defense discussions and a data breach involving 16 billion passwords from major tech platforms. Internal leaks have exposed salary data, health records, procurement details, intellectual property, and more.
Causes and Detection of Information Leaks
Outside of cybersecurity breaches targeting confidential data, there are two primary categories of leaks, usually involving employees or contractors:
- Accidental Leaks: Accidental leaks, while unintentional, can still carry grave consequences. Typically, these leaks are the result of negligence or poor processes. While employees often have legitimate access to sensitive information, inadequate access controls, lack of training, and poor internal governance can create vulnerabilities.
- Malicious Leaks: These are intentional acts, often perpetrated by disgruntled or aggrieved employees. These cases are harder to investigate due to deliberate efforts to conceal identity and involvement.
Contrary to the popular perception of sophisticated cyber attacks, 95% of leaks originate from employee actions—either errors or deliberate breaches. This underscores the importance of examining organizational culture, communication, and access controls.
Leaks may surface through:
- Media inquiries or reports
- Social media disclosures
- Internal whistleblowing
- Rumors or “corridor gossip”
- Monitoring tools and keyword alerts
- Responses to phishing campaigns
Social media, in particular, has exacerbated leak risks by enabling rapid and uncontrolled dissemination of information. Even well-meaning posts can inadvertently expose confidential content.
Organizational Response and Investigation
Upon discovery of a leak, the immediate impulse may be to act swiftly and broadly. However, premature actions can compromise the integrity of investigations and legal proceedings.
Best practices for immediate response include:
- Assemble a trusted internal task force.
- Engage legal counsel and independent investigators early, especially to determine if whistleblower protections apply.
- Avoid tipping off potential suspects before sufficient evidence is gathered.
- Maintain discretion and prioritize fact-finding.
Preventive measures should address both technical controls and cultural dynamics.
Technical Safeguards:
- Implement robust access controls and role-based permissions.
- Monitor access and maintain audit trails (e.g., access logs, printer logs).
- Revoke credentials immediately upon employee departure.
- Limit physical documentation and enforce clean-desk policies.
- Train staff on phishing and information handling.
Cultural and Communication Measures:
- Promote a culture of confidentiality and professional responsibility.
- Clearly communicate the consequences of policy violations.
- Address workplace grievances proactively to reduce motivations for malicious leaks.
- Educate teams about intellectual property protections and patenting timelines.
- Monitor gossip culture and improve transparency during organizational change.
When to Seek External Assistance
External experts should be engaged when:
- The source or scope of the leak is unclear.
- Legal implications or regulatory exposure is likely.
- Independence and impartiality are required.
- A complex investigation—which may involve digital forensics, behavioral analysis, or advanced analytics—is required.
Early and appropriate external involvement is important to preserve evidence, maintain objectivity, and support legal proceedings effectively.
Summary
Information leaks are not only a technical issue but a human and organizational one. Preventing and responding to leaks requires a holistic approach—combining culture, communication, controls, and capabilities. Whether accidental or malicious, the impacts of such a leak can be profound and long-lasting. Organizations must proactively assess vulnerabilities, educate employees, and develop clear protocols for detection, investigation, and remediation.