Data Loss Prevention (DLP) —in Spanish, “data loss prevention”— is a term that refers to the measures that guarantee that users do not send sensitive information outside the corporate network. Through software products, network administrators control the data that can be transferred, classifying and protecting critical information. So, for example, an employee would not be allowed to forward an email outside the corporate domain or upload a file to a more popular cloud storage service like Dropbox.
Reshaping these data loss solutions has become one of the main challenges in hybrid work environments. According to a recent global survey of CISOs in organizations, half of security managers said they had to fully adapt their DLP controls for this new normal. Therefore, it is essential that a robust program of this type keep in mind the mobility of the data and when it will be at risk.
How DLP protects data
DLP tools monitor the company's network to prevent information leaks before they happen. It is a preventive methodology capable of alerting the user himself so that he is aware that the specific action he is carrying out complies with the security policy, the confidentiality of the data,... of the company and prevents information leakage.
DLPs are not only limited to monitoring, solely and exclusively, the internal network of the company, these solutions can extend their monitoring to mobile devices with any operating system. A clear example of this is that DLPs are able to check which corporate emails have been accessed. In addition, DLP software has the ability to check and stop the transmission of sensitive data from the organization to social networks or cloud storage applications. .
Functionalities of Data Loss Prevention tools
Data Loss Prevention policies can be applied in different ways: gateway, network segment, user group,...
Simple, easy and intuitive management. The administration of these solutions is centralized,
Regardless of whether the information is transmitted, encrypted or not, DLP systems allow multiple types of files and protocols to be inspected.
They are capable of adding watermarks, both visible and invisible, to any type of file. The result: in the event of an information leak, the person responsible can be identified.