Organizations collect volumes of data, some of which are valuable as intellectual property, and some of which contain sensitive information from their customers or business partners. Organizations have both a motive and a responsibility to always protect that data, whether it is in storage, in transit, or in use.
However, protecting data as it rests and moves comes with complexities. Implementing the right data tools ensures comprehensive and reliable protection long-term, which is why it’s essential to consider utilizing DLPs and a data protection platform as part of your data security strategy.
DATA LOSS PREVENTION (DLP) TOOLS ARE IMPORTANT
Data loss prevention tools were created to monitor how data can be shared, arbitrate which data is allowed to leave a network, and block whatever data is not permitted to leave a network.
However, data is highly portable. Whether via email, a local storage system, a shared drive, or a USB drive, preventing sensitive data from leaving a network via malicious actors, a configuration error, or an insider threat is challenging.
YET DLP HAS INHERENT CHALLENGES
In collaboration with business managers, IT teams have the task of classifying their data, defining what types of data can leave the network, and establishing unique policies to prevent data from being leaked. This process presents a couple of ongoing challenges:
First, some IT policies can generate too many false positives, which may prevent legitimate authorized users from accessing data they need to perform their jobs.
Second, DLPs typically operate using a probabilistic system, which allows the tool to adapt its operations-based on quantitative information about uncertain variables. Without having another data protection tool to cover its tracks or cross-check system operations, DLPs often create gaps while operating under fuzzy logic, leaving businesses vulnerable to a breach or remaining rigid and preventing sensitive data usage altogether.
YOU ALSO NEED A DATA PROTECTION PLATFORM
There are so many points of access where data can be leaked, that it is much like playing a proverbial game of “Whac-a-Mole.” Whether through cybercrime, internal theft, or employee error, it is often a matter of not if, but when sensitive data leaves a network, which is why you also need a data protection platform.
Let’s assume that some data does escape a network: how can you render it useless in the hands of a malicious user? Protegrity has a solution: Vaultless Tokenization. This technology complements DLP platforms because it replaces sensitive data with unique identification symbols that retain all the information. So, whether the data is at rest, in transit, or in use, it is directly and persistently protecting the data wherever it exists.
If by chance or theft the data becomes exposed, it would be useless in the hands of any malicious parties; cybercriminals can’t steal what they can’t see.
Protegrity differs from other data protection because it preserves the data value as a format and length-preserving token that can be reidentified just in time for an authorized user using role-based access control. This differs from a traditional encryption capability, like Transparent Database Encryption (TDE), which is either on or off and leaves data in the clear at rest. TDE would allow a Database Administrator to see sensitive data in a database even though their role is unlikely to require this type of access to still be effective. This is the reason DBA credentials are often coveted by the attackers.
Enhancing access to data is important, as businesses compete on operationalizing data through various systems and users in a business ecosystem. Vaultless tokenization accelerates access to data because it can be analyzed in a protected state to improve business processes and outcomes.
Protegrity also stands out in the crowded field of data protection solutions, as it is the only data protection solution that protects end-to-end, across IT platforms, whether on premises, in hybrid cloud, or in multi-cloud environments. Protegrity also has platform partnerships with AWS, AWS Redshift, Snowflake, Azure, Teradata, Yellowbrick, Oracle and many more, to ensure that you can protect and unprotect sensitive data in an ecosystem of partner platforms and products.
DATA PROTECTION COMPLEMENTS DLPS
Data loss prevention is important, but it is insufficient on its own because it can’t stop data from being exposed in a breach. It’s seldom, if ever, 100% foolproof. Rigid IT policies in a DLP solution can impede your ability to glean valuable insights from your sensitive data.
Many DLP solutions use probabilistic rules in decision making for this reason which makes them more flexible, but also introduces potential errors in judgement.
Finally, it doesn’t guarantee that you will achieve compliance to the litany of regulatory requirements for sensitive data.
Data protection technology is an essential complement to data loss prevention because it closes the security gaps in platforms, and enables businesses to ensure compliance with privacy regulations.
Protegrity’s data protection platform is designed to work with your integrations and your data loss prevention tools. Contact our team to learn more or schedule a demo today!