Understanding Data Loss Prevention (DLP) in the Digital World

Discover the essentials of Data Loss Prevention (DLP), its role in safeguarding sensitive data, and how it protects businesses in the digital age.

Introduction

In the digital world, data is the lifeline of any business, be it trade secrets, sales records, customers’ personal data, and other sensitive information. Organizations use this data to create innovations and increase their long-term client base.

However, the current situation is quite different, especially with this surge in cyberattacks, insider threats, and phishing attacks. In a recent report by Forbes, it was witnessed that in 2023, security breaches saw a 72% increase from 2021, which held the previous record. Hence, protecting this data has never been so important.

Organizations can use data loss prevention (DLP), an indispensable tool that monitors, identifies, and protects sensitive data from unauthorized access and leakage, to prevent data loss.

DLP also aids organizations in meeting regulatory mandates such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). These laws and regulations are stringent obligations in an organization that secures sensitive data and notifies the security teams during data breaches. With the help of DLP solutions, CISOs, CIOs, or IT managers can ensure that the right employees are accessing the right data for the correct reason.

For a better understanding of this subject, today’s AITech Park article will discuss data loss prevention, how it functions, software solutions, and the latest strategies and policies organizations can implement for stronger data security.

1. Reasons for Data Loss in Organizations

With the growing digital data and increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, data loss has become a primary concern for organizations worldwide, and data breaches, data leakage, or data exfiltration commonly cause this data loss.

Cybercriminals steal and transfer data from a network or device in data exfiltration. This act can be conducted by insiders or outsiders who generally perform cyberattacks such as DDoS attacks or phishing, and such data are exfiltrated through login credentials and intellectual property.

insider threats are extremely dangerous because the hazards come from within the company, leaving sensitive data vulnerable to exploitation. According to the website Check Point, it was observed that 43% of all breaches are insider threats, either intentional or unintentional, through company employees or former employees, contractors, and business associates.

It is witnessed that breaches often occur due to employees’s negligence, and there are numerous reasons such as weak security practices, execution of poor cybersecurity training programs, and not applying the principle of least privilege (POLP). Therefore, organizations need to provide comprehensive cybersecurity training for their employees so they comprehend the significance of keeping company data and personal data safe from antagonists.

CISOs, CIOs, or IT managers should also focus on creating strategies around DLP solutions and train employees to adopt cybersecurity best practices when performing their work.

2. Types of Data Loss Prevention Solutions

To create a secure environment, understanding various aspects of DLP is crucial; therefore, with the below DLP solutions, security can select the best solution based on where and how it offers protection:

2.1. Network DLP

As the name suggests, network DLP solutions focus on how data moves through, which includes tracking and analyzing all network activities and traffic across traditional and cloud networks. Therefore, establishing a database that records sensitive or confidential data and also controlling who can access the data and move the data to different network locations.

2.2. Endpoint DLP

Endpoint DLP tools monitor users’ activity on their laptops, servers, mobile devices, and other devices accessing the network. This solution is installed into the devices, which allows the security team to monitor the user’s activities, block unapproved data transfers between devices, and even provide replicas of data being transferred for audits.

2.3. Cloud DLP

Lastly, cloud security solutions focus on safeguarding sensitive data across various cloud services, including Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). This data is further stored, processed, or transmitted within cloud environments. The Cloud DLP solutions also scan, organize, monitor, and encrypt data and only allow limited individual end users to access company data.

3. Picking the Right Type of DLP Solutions

Choosing the right DLP solutions can be a difficult task as it requires a careful evaluation of your organization’s specific needs and requirements. Firstly, the CISOs and security teams need to understand their data protection needs. This cycle involves identifying the type of data you handle and the risks associated with it.

The next step is to consider compliance, i.e., the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), and other industry-specific requirements. However, different industries have different regulations; therefore, you must understand which DLP solution you should implement and further create out-of-the-box policy templates.

Once you have evaluated the features and scalability of DLP solutions, you need to update and let the solution grow; this will eventually help you protect data whenever users interact with it, including cloud, web, email, endpoint, and network.

In the End

To conclude, data loss prevention guards against accidental and malicious data loss and safeguards inbound and outbound transfer of data. This solution gives organizations vital protection capabilities for securing data even in a hostile situation. Even by investing in robust DLP solutions, you will also manage common challenges associated with their implementation and safeguard not only your systems and networks but also your customers’ confidential data.

Explore AITechPark for top AI, IoT, Cybersecurity advancements, And amplify your reach through guest posts and link collaboration.