DLP Program Service

Overview

Data loss or leakage has become a major issue in today’s world. Simply type “Data Loss Incidents” into any search engine and you will find loads of lists recording all the incidents over recent years. At the same time, these often involve physical loss of laptops, CDs or memory sticks, they also include data lost or leaked through poorly secured infrastructure. Common contributors to the reasons for these leaks include lack of user awareness, users being non-compliant with policy and absence of an appropriate policy.

Many companies even consider data security to be a strategic issue. Here, the responsibility lies with management. This is also true for handling of confidential data and making sure that it can't be abused. But, in reality, unclear data structures, incomprehensible access rights, insufficient user awareness and the lack of risk/cost assessments require that data leakage be prevented. This, in turn, is permanently anchored in a professional and proactive manner in a company's security-related processes as an integral part of risk management.

Introduction to Data Leakage Prevention (DLP) System

Data Leakage Prevention (DLP) systems enables your organization to have strict control of information and data in how it is used, transferred and removed. DLP systems are able to identify, monitor & protect data in use through endpoint actions. DLP systems are also able to protect your intellectual data when data is in motion or in transit referred to as network actions or data that is at rest known as data storage.

DLP System is also sometimes referred to as

1. Information Protection and Control (IPC)
2. Information Leak Prevention (ILP)
3. Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
4. Content Monitoring and Filtering (CMF)
5. Information Leak Detection and Prevention (ILDP)

DLP systems have granular level of data visibility and through deep content inspection, contextual security analysis of transaction (attributes of originator, data object, medium, timing, recipient/destination and so on) and with a centralized management framework can provide a complete holistic approach to your data security. Full DLP deployments are slow to develop in part because the technology is still maturing but mostly because of the complex people and process issues that need to be resolved. This is especially relevant in larger organizations with numerous business units. The number of DLP solutions and options can be overwhelming and has the potential to affect just about everyone and every department in an organization. Additionally, many organizations currently lack internal resources with the requisite DLP experience or time to undertake a DLP enablement project. Appropriate planning and operational readiness are critical to deploying a DLP solution smoothly throughout an organization.

DLP technology has received significant attention industry wide due to corporate confidential information being leaked out through network access, endpoints or peripherals such as flash memory. Although you may increase productivity and empower your employees to be connected to your corporate resources remotely there are significant risks associated with how data that is downloaded is not confidential, once downloaded the data lifecycle and whether it is distributed elsewhere is now beyond the control of your organization. Information asset risks also need to be controlled for organizations that permit the use of instant messaging services and controlling the type of data that is shared across users. The use of DLP systems within your organization is paramount to ensure information assets are protected from unauthorized use and transmission.

First Step in DLP Program Services

Conducting Data Loss Risk Assessment is a good first step in any DLP program. The main purpose of this service is to identify all types of data within your network and to identify threats and vulnerabilities related to this data. Corporate Data, Customer Data & Intellectual Property are examples of data that need to be identified. Once this information has been identified, a flow analysis needs to be conducted to identify all systems and devices the data either resides on or flows through. This exercise needs to be conducted for all types of data being utilized within the organization. The data gathered will help you identify potential risks and support your planning for a better data security posture. After confidential analysis of the data, we will hold a meeting with you and your senior management, where we will deliver our report interpreting the findings and making client-specific recommendations needed for rapid remediation. This assessment will normally take 45 days to 90 days depending on the scope & the size of the data within the organization.