Discover What is Data Loss Prevention With All Its Types
Protection of private or confidential files usually comes with several challenges and it is not always technology, which is responsible for the cause. Although enterprise users are completely conscious of their data security, there is always a risk that the confidential emails might get accidentally sent to the wrong recipient. Well, mistakes are the part of human nature and they just happen! So, what do you think, how will you protect yourself against these types of incidents? This is the perfect time when you can make use of data loss prevention technology or DLP.
What is Data Loss Prevention: A Brief Intro
Data Loss Prevention is a technique, which gives assurance to the end users that they will not be sending any confidential information to the outsiders. The data will be sent to a particular corporate network only. Data loss prevention technology monitors detect and restrict the confidential files when they are ‘in-use’, ‘in-motion’, or ‘at-rest’. There are several DLP services / products that help a network administrator to have control over what data users can transfer.
Tip: This will permanently remove the chances of sending emails to wrong recipient (any outsider) by mistake or in an unintentional state of mind.
Data loss prevention technology uses a set of rules of an organization for classifying and protecting sensitive files or folders. This will block network crackers from disclosing the data, which can bring organization growth at a high risk. Read the following example to learn the way DLP network helps an enterprise user:
“An employee of the organization tries to forward a confidential business email outside the firm’s domain. He also tries to upload the corporate sensitive files on cloud storage services (say Dropbox) of a consumer. In this case, if the DLP technology is used by the organization then, the employee will not be able to attempt any of the tasks. He will be denied from doing the same and hence, the confidential data of the organization is saved.”
Note: When an organization is considering the security aspects, they should think about following 3 key questions:
- Where is the confidential data stored?
- How are sensitive files coming in use?
- How to prevent these items from loss?
Types Of Data Loss Prevention Technology
There are following 5 major types of DLP:
Network DLP: This DLP network is configured at the emergency points of the network near the perimeters. Network data loss prevention technique analyzes overall traffic over the network. This functionality detects all the confidential data, which is sent after the violation of data security policies rules. All the activities are analyzed by the central management server on which a complete log report is maintained.
Endpoint DLP: Endpoint machine is operated on a particular corporate workstation or the server. This type of DLP addresses both internal as well as external communications, which controls the information flow either between a group or types of users. Endpoint DLP system monitors and controls the accessing of physical devices and in few situations approaches data before they get encrypted.
Data At-rest DLP: Basically, this refers to the previously archived information. These type of information are having a core concern for a private business or government institutions. It is so because longer the data is kept unused, higher are the chances of network crackers to retrieve them. This is the reason that demands more security measures like access control, data encryption, data retention policies.
Data In Use DLP: The name itself refers the files or folders, which are currently in interaction with an end user. Data loss prevention technology protects data in-use by restricting one from carrying out the unauthorized activities. These activities can be screen-capturing, print, copy / paste, and fax. Such types of actions can be carried out by employees in an intentional or unintentional way over the communication channel.
Data In Motion DLP: This type of DLP network deals with transferring sensitive data via network to the targeted point. This network can either be internal or external. The DLP protects files by monitoring them on the fact that where are they being shared end users.
Time of Conclude
Data loss prevention technology is more important now than ever before. In today’s date, Ransomware attacks have been going faster around the globe because it is a means of profit for criminals. As per the survey, there are around 100 families of malware that have been released till now, more than the triple of previous amount. In addition to this, 36% has increased due to the ransomware attacks from all around the globe. Therefore, one needs to think for a correct security measure because it is not all about access to or data encryption; it is about giving assurance that confidential will be kept safe, even if someone is trying to use / harm them.