Realizing the Importance of Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
In today’s digital landscape, where organizations rely heavily on technology and data, having a robust cybersecurity to fully safeguard sensitive information has become more critical than ever.
Did you know? Indonesia occupies the 3rd position as the country with the most data leak cases, as reported by Surfshark in the 3rd quarter of 2022. The personal data leakage by a hacker ‘Bjorka’ becomes one of the data leak cases in Indonesia that attracted the most public attention. Therefore, understanding the impacts that data loss may have on an organization will help you to appreciate why Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is so important.
What’s Data Loss Prevention anyway?
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Data Loss Prevention
Defined by NIST, Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is a system’s ability to identify, monitor, and protect data through deep packet inspection and contextual security analysis within a centralized management framework to detect and prevent the unauthorized use and transmission of sensitive data. DLP involves the implementation of measures to monitor, detect, and control data throughout its lifecycle, both within an organization’s network and when it is being transferred or used externally. It encompasses strategies for data discovery, classification, encryption, access controls, and activity monitoring to ensure data security and prevent data breaches.
Is Data Loss Prevention Really Necessary for Organizations?
Definitely yes. In today’s digital era, organizations now handle vast amounts of sensitive data, including customer information, financial records, intellectual property, and confidential business data. Therefore, DLP helps prevent accidental or intentional exposure, leakage, or unauthorized access to this data, ensuring its confidentiality and integrity.
DLP tools are designed to monitor and filter data in real time. Thus, DLP tools are able to protect any data in the following states of data.
- Data in Use — Securing data while it’s being actively processed by authenticating and limiting users.
- Data in Motion — Encrypting data to ensure that it’s protected while it’s transmitted across a network.
- Data at Rest — Using access control, encryption, and data retention policies to protect stored data.
3 Types of Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
- Network DLP
Network DLP helps to analyze network traffic and establish security policies to mitigate data loss risks. Network DLP typically involves deep packet inspection (DPI) technology to analyze network traffic in real-time, identify sensitive data, and enforce policies to prevent data leakage. It can also involve techniques such as encryption, data masking, and access controls to secure data in transit.
2. Endpoint DLP
Endpoint DLP monitors endpoint devices to prevent data loss or data being misused by unauthorized individuals. Endpoint DLP solutions can enforce policies to prevent data leakage through activities such as copying data to external devices, sending data via email or instant messaging, or uploading data to cloud services.
3. Cloud DLP
Cloud DLP identifies, classifies, removes or modifies sensitive data before it’s shared to a cloud environment. Cloud DLPs enable consistency to data management across numerous SaaS and IaaS apps, including custom app deployments, and extend enterprise data security controls to the cloud.
3 Crucial Steps in Implementing Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
- Classify the Data
Classify and categorize the data based on its sensitivity and importance, involving identifying and labeling data based on predefined criteria. It helps to prioritize the data protection efforts and allocate appropriate security controls and safeguards.
2. Assess and Monitor
Conduct a comprehensive risk assessment to identify potential vulnerabilities, threats, and areas of weakness. Regular monitoring and analysis of data activities are crucial to detect any suspicious activities that may indicate data breaches.
3. Implement Preventive Controls
Implement preventive controls to mitigate risks and protect sensitive data. These controls are designed to minimize the risk of data loss and ensure that data is only accessed, used, and shared by authorized individuals and systems.
In summary, Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is vital in the digital era to protect sensitive information, ensure regulatory compliance, mitigate data breaches, safeguard intellectual property, raise employee awareness, maintain customer trust, and prevent insider threats. Implementing effective DLP measures is crucial for organizations to navigate the evolving data security landscape and safeguard their critical assets. Join our Cybersecurity classes to learn enhance your ability and knowledge in cybersecurity field!
