Content

Data Loss or Leakage

What is data loss / data leakage?

Data loss refers to the loss or leakage of confidential data—including databases with personal customer information, such as credit card numbers and social security numbers, health records, and financial information. This affects medium and large organizations and may occur as a result of accidental intent (e.g., a manager loses a portable USB drive containing proprietary sales information) or malicious intent (e.g. a disgruntled employee steals valuable intellectual property by copying it to portable media such as a CD and later sells the information to a competitor). Cyber criminals can also break through an organization’s security defenses via a malware exploit (e.g., spyware) or through social engineering practices (e.g., posing as an employee and hacking a company computer).

Data loss incidents have increased 1,700 percent in large organizations worldwide since 2004. In December 2006, the number of data loss incidents hit 100 million; by spring of 2007, the number grew to 150 million. According to a recent Datamonitor report, the average cost to an organization of a data leakage incident was $1.82 million.

What is data loss or data leakage protection (DLP)?

Data loss protection prevents accidental and malicious loss of confidential datafrom all possible channels. It provides multi-layered protection at the endpoint and the gateway to prevent data loss at work, at home, and on the road. Sensitive data on guest laptops and non-Microsoft Windows endpoints are also protected.

Why do I need data loss or data leakage protection?

You need data loss protection because leakage of confidential data can result in dire consequences for your organization.

How does data loss or data leakage protection work?

Data loss protection ensures that data is protected on every endpoint on your network, regardless of the operating system or type of device. It protects your enterprise from data loss threats originating from inside, such as email, IM, CD burns, USB copying, and printing. And, it stops data loss initiated by Trojans, worms, and file-sharing applications that can hijack employee information. Through the logging and analysis server, it monitors real-time events and generates detailed forensics reports. You can also establish and manage security policies to regulate and restrict how your employees use and transfer sensitive data.

Data loss prevention is a wise investment for medium businesses and global enterprises.

DLP research
Security Information Library