DLP is a strategy and set of tools designed to prevent unauthorized access, use, transmission, or leakage of sensitive data. DLP systems monitor, detect, and respond to potential data breaches or unauthorized data transfers.
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Components:

🔰 Content Discovery

  • Identifies and classifies sensitive data across an organization’s storage systems to ensure proper protection and compliance with policies.

🔰 Data Monitoring

  • Continuously monitors data in motion (e.g., emails, network traffic) and data at rest (e.g., file servers) for potential policy violations.

🔰 Policy Enforcement

  • Implements rules and policies that dictate how sensitive data should be handled, such as blocking or encrypting data that matches certain criteria.

🔰 Incident Response

  • Alerts administrators to potential data loss incidents and provides tools to remediate or contain the threat, such as quarantining files or blocking transmission.

Applications:

Email Security

Preventing sensitive data from being sent outside the organization via email without proper authorization.

Endpoint Protection

Ensuring that data on devices like laptops and mobile phones is not copied or transferred to unauthorized locations.

Cloud Security

Monitoring and protecting data stored or processed in cloud environments to prevent unauthorized access or leakage.

Examples

Symantec DLP, McAfee Total Protection for Data Loss Prevention, and Forcepoint DLP.