A comprehensive guide to data loss prevention

Every day, businesses and individuals generate 2.5 quintillion bytes of data. That’s a lot of information! So much, in fact, that it can be difficult to keep track of it all. As we become increasingly reliant on technology to store and manage our data, the risk of losing that data also increases.

Data loss can be costly for organisations, both in terms of money and reputation. In this comprehensive guide, we will discuss what data loss prevention (DLP) is, its components, and how to implement one.

What is data loss?

Data loss occurs when information is destroyed or becomes inaccessible. This can happen due to hardware failure, software corruption, human error, or a natural disaster. Data loss can be devastating for businesses and individuals alike, as it can lead to the loss of important files, documents, and memories.

How much does data loss cost organisations a year?
According to a study by IBM, the average cost of a data breach for businesses is $4.35 million. This number will only continue to increase as we become more reliant on technology.

What is data loss prevention (DLP)?

DLP is a strategy for preventing data loss. It encompasses a set of policies, technologies, and processes that work together to identify, monitor, and protect data. DLP can be used to prevent data breaches, compliance violations, and other threats to sensitive data.

Why use DLP?

There are many reasons why you might want to implement a DLP strategy. Perhaps you want to protect your organisation’s intellectual property (IP), or ensure compliance with industry regulations. Maybe you’re concerned about the loss of customer data, or the reputational damage that can be caused by a data breach. Whatever your reasons, DLP can help you to keep your data safe and organisations usually use it in the following ways

• Personal information
• Intellectual property (IP)
• Data visibility

Personal information

One type of data that is particularly sensitive is personal information. This includes things like names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. If this information falls into the wrong hands, it can be used for identity theft, fraud, or other malicious activities.

Intellectual property (IP)

Another type of data that needs to be protected is intellectual property (IP). This can include things like trade secrets, copyrighted material, and patents. If this information is leaked, it could give your competitors an advantage or damage your reputation.

Data visibility

It’s important to have visibility into the data that you are storing and sharing. This way, you can be sure that only authorised people have access to it. If you’re not sure where your data is, or who has access to it, then you can’t be sure that it’s safe.

Recognising causes of data loss

There are many different causes of data loss. Some of the most common include:

• Insider threats: These are threats that come from within your organisation, such as employees who deliberately leak data or accidentally delete files.
• Hard drive failures: Hard drives are susceptible to physical damage and failure. This can happen due to a manufacturing defect, wear and tear, or exposure to extreme temperatures.
• User error): We’ve all been there – you accidentally delete a file or empty the recycle bin without meaning to. This is one of the most common causes of data loss.
• Computer viruses and malware infections: Viruses and malware can infect your computer and corrupt your files. This can happen even if you have antivirus software installed.
• Laptop theft: Laptops are a valuable commodity, and they often contain sensitive data. If your laptop is stolen, the thief will have access to your files unless you have proper security measures in place.
• Power failures: A power outage can cause data loss if it happens while you are in the middle of saving a file. This is because the power surge can damage the hard drive or corrupt the file.
• Unintentional or negligent data exposure: This happens when data is unintentionally made public, such as through a misconfigured website or an unsecure file sharing service. It can also happen when data is sent to the wrong person, such as when an email is mistakenly CC’d instead of BCC’d.

How to protect against data loss?

There are many steps that you can take to protect your data from loss. Some of the most important include:

1. Develop a security policy for sevices: This policy should outline how devices should be used and secured. It should also specify what types of data can be stored on each device.
2. Back up your data: Regular backups are essential for data recovery in the event of a loss. You should back up your data to an external hard drive or cloud storage service.
3. Encrypt sensitive data: Encryption is a process that scrambles data so that it can only be read by someone with the decryption key. This protects your data if it falls into the wrong hands.
4. Use up to date virus software: Virus and malware protection software can help to prevent infections. It is important to keep this software up to date so that it can protect against the latest threats.
5. Train your team: Educating your team on data security best practices can help to prevent accidental data loss. You should provide training on things like data handling, password security, and device use.
6. Update equipment: Keeping your computer and other devices up to date with the latest software and security updates can help to prevent data loss.

Components of a data loss solution

There are many different components that make up a data loss solution, including the following:

• Securing data in motion: This involves encrypting data as it is being transferred between devices. This can be done through a VPN or SSL/TLS encryption.
• Securing endpoints: Endpoints are the devices that connect to your network, such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets. They should be secured with a firewall and antivirus software.
• Securing data at rest: Data at rest is data that is stored on a device, such as on a hard drive or in the cloud. It should be encrypted so that it cannot be accessed if the device is lost or stolen.
• Securing data in use: Data in use is data that is being accessed or edited. It should be encrypted so that it cannot be read if the device is lost or stolen.
• Data identification: This involves identifying which data is sensitive and needs to be protected. This can be done through data classification.
• Data leak detection: This involves monitoring for signs that data is being leaked, such as unusual activity on your network or unauthorised access to files.

Data loss solutions

Looking for a professional service from an approved provider can help to protect your data from loss. Some of the services that they can offer include:

• Data backup and recovery
• Data encryption
• Data leak detection and prevention
• Firewall and antivirus protection
• Training on data security best practices
• Implement a data destruction policy

Working closely with them can help you to keep your data safe from loss. They can offer a comprehensive solution that covers all of the components listed above.

Conclusion

Data loss can be a major problem for organisations. It can cost them money, damage their reputation, and cause legal problems. Data loss prevention is an important tool for preventing data loss. There are many different components of a data loss solution, and the most effective ones will vary depending on the needs of the organisation.

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