Every year, more and more cyber threats target enterprises of all sizes. Threat actors build and utilize ransomware attacks, supply chain assaults, and other new sorts of attacks to steal information and money. When basic security procedures are not in place, as has been shown in recent months and years, even the largest organizations are harmed. As a result, many firms are focusing their efforts on various cybersecurity technologies and protection tactics, such as Data Leak Prevention, or DLP. As the volume of data stored and sent by businesses grows, these types of solutions become increasingly critical for an organization’s security.
Data Leak Prevention, or DLP, safeguards and monitors data in transit, at rest, and in use. It tracks the data wherever it is housed within the firm, alerting the security team or teams to any unauthorized usage of the data. These tools and methods work in tandem with an organization’s encryption policies and standards to ensure that users, applications, and third-party solutions follow the rules outlined in these policies and standards. DLP tools function by establishing a centralized location for controlling, tracking, and correcting improper usage of an organization’s information. Supporting an organization’s standards and regulations allows people accessing and using the information to be monitored to guarantee that no confidential data leaves the organization and is misused.
Why an Organization Should Use DLP
There are numerous reasons why a business should include DLP capabilities in its cybersecurity system. Other reasons to establish DLP safety measures in a company include:
1. Some businesses have no idea where their data is stored or transferred.
Many organizations lack sufficient visibility into their organization when it comes to data. Data discovery and classification should be the first step for every organization in becoming cryptographically secure and meeting standards such as the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST). If this is done wrong or not at all, data may go unreported or mistakenly categorized, allowing threat actors to use it for their own purposes. Using DLP solutions, an organization can have a better understanding of the data it stores, and the sorts of data it stores, and maintain a closer eye on the data when it is stored, in transit, or in use.
2. Most firms must maintain a certain level of security to comply with state and national legislation.
As previously stated, several legislation and standards exist in many nations and states that define how an organization stores and otherwise safeguards its data cryptographically. These regulations are published by a variety of agencies, including the NIST, and are known by a variety of titles, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA.
These criteria are critical since the theft of personal information could result in the loss of a customer’s identity, money, or livelihood. Data can be tracked and safeguarded to the levels required by standards and regulations using solutions such as DLP.
3. Outside threats are taken into account, but insider threats are not.
Most firms are on the lookout for outer risks, such as lone-wolf hackers or hacking groups, but many fail to keep an eye out for insider threats. DLP supports firms in monitoring how data is accessed and transmitted, particularly among employees. The foundation of what DLP does is to keep track of who accesses data when and how that data is used. Therefore many firms are advised to incorporate DLP devices into their environment.
4. An audit will take place soon.
Although DLP should be implemented as a first step by organizations, some will do so in anticipation of an audit soon. If the required encryption and cryptography measures are not in place, failed audits can cost firms money, reputation, and compliance status. DLP contributes significantly to an organization’s compliance with norms and laws. They can utilize DLP to guarantee adequate encryption and cryptography practices are followed and to identify security gaps. This can result in better practices being implemented throughout a business, allowing it to achieve compliance and successfully pass an audit.
5. In order to avoid a data breach, the company may prefer to protect against threat actors before they arise.
Many companies concentrate on dealing with cyber assaults after they have occurred. Instead, organizations should put mitigation measures in place before a threat occurs. This is the preferable way since protecting sensitive client data before any threat actors can get close to it aids in the process of preventing the data from being stolen in the first place, as well as discouraging any attackers from attempting to obtain that information. DLP is an excellent first line of defense since it allows you to track information and uncover security holes.
6. Many firms place high importance on data management and tracking automation.
Organizations typically start their security systems with manual security processes. This means that data is manually tracked and identified by employees and teams inside the company when they choose to do so. Instead, automated procedures can be utilized to automatically check and track data and people in the organization’s environment. DLP is an example of a solution that many organizations use to automatically track data and the users that utilize and transfer that data. Therefore, so many businesses utilize Data Leak Prevention to have a strong cyber security presence.
Types of DLP Tools and Platforms
When it comes to Data Leak Prevention, there are three categories to consider: Network DLP, Cloud DLP, and Endpoint DLP. Network DLP is the most discussed type of DLP. This sort of DLP is concerned with data movement within the organization. Network DLP creates a protective barrier to tracking and monitoring data within the company. The concept is that when data is sent out, whether via email or another manner, automated steps such as encryption, blocking, or auditing the data transmission take place. This can be planned for time inside the company. A notification will also normally notify administrators if sensitive data is attempting to leave the business when it should not.
Endpoint DLP is more difficult to manage than network DLP, although it is generally seen as more effective. Endpoint DLP focuses on the devices that are connected to the network rather than the network itself. This endpoint DLP will be placed on every device that connects to the network, tracking both data in motion and data at rest on the device. Endpoint DLP systems can also detect when data is stored on a device unencrypted when it should be encrypted. As can be seen, installing, and administering endpoint DLP on every device in a network is hard and would require many man-hours to complete and maintain.
Conclusion
It is critical for a company’s security to have suitable cybersecurity technologies and platforms in place. Any organization can use DLP to stay ahead of threat actors, whether they are inside or outside the organization. Security of sensitive customer and corporate data is critical in any business, particularly banks and healthcare institutions. Cyber security is our top priority at Encryption Consulting. We work with enterprises to build the most secure environment possible by utilizing technologies such as DLP, PKI, and encryption audits. We offer PKI, encryption, and Hardware Security Module assessment, implementation, and development services (HSMs).