Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is a set of technologies and processes that detect, monitor, and prevent the unauthorized movement of sensitive data—whether it’s customer PII, financials, health data, source code, designs, or contracts. DLP applies policy-driven controls across endpoints, email, cloud apps, and networks to reduce insider risk, stop accidental leakage, and block exfiltration by attackers.
Why DLP Matters Now
- Hybrid work & cloud: Sensitive data now lives in email, chat, cloud storage, and SaaS—well beyond the traditional perimeter.
- Insider risk: Most data loss stems from accidental sharing or misuse, not just external attackers.
- Regulations & contracts: Compliance frameworks and customer security questionnaires increasingly expect DLP to be in place.
- Ransomware & data extortion: Even with backups, data theft is a primary extortion tactic; DLP reduces what can be exfiltrated.
How DLP Works (Plain English)
1) Identify Sensitive Data
- Methods: Pattern matching (e.g., credit card numbers), dictionaries, keyword proximity, file fingerprints, and ML-based classifiers (source code, resumes, IP).
- Data types: PII, PCI, PHI, financial, legal, R&D IP, source code, M&A, board materials.
2) Classify & Label
- Apply sensitivity labels (e.g., Public, Internal, Confidential, Restricted) that carry protection rules.
3) Monitor Everywhere
- Endpoints: Files copied to USB, printed, uploaded, zipped, screen-captured.
- Email & Collaboration: Outbound email, Teams/Slack/Chat, shared links, attachments.
- Cloud & SaaS: OneDrive/SharePoint/Google Drive/Dropbox, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Git.
- Web & Network: Uploads to personal webmail, file-sharing sites, or unknown domains.
4) Enforce Policy
- Soft measures: Just-in-time user coaching (to reduce mistakes and train behavior).
- Hard measures: Block, encrypt, quarantine, add watermarks, require business justification.
- Containment: Redirect to managed channels or quarantine for review.
5) Audit & Improve
- Dashboards, incident queues, and reports feed continuous tuning (reduce false positives, close policy gaps).
What DLP Helps You Prevent
- Accidental data leaks: e.g., sending customer list to a vendor via personal Gmail.
- Malicious exfiltration: Disgruntled staff mass-copying files to cloud drives or USB.
- Shadow IT risk: Uploading confidential files to unsanctioned tools or public repositories.
- Compliance violations: Sharing unredacted PHI, PII, or cardholder data improperly.
- Third-party risk: Over-shared links and improper external collaboration.
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