DLP 101: What is data loss prevention, and why do you need it?

Imagine running a business that handles sensitive information, like financial data or health data. Now, think about what could happen if that data slipped out through a careless email, a file shared in the cloud, or a compromised account. This kind of data leak could result in hefty fines and a loss of customer trust. Data loss prevention products are critical from stopping this scenario from ever coming to pass.

What is data loss prevention?  

Data loss prevention products, or DLP products, help security teams to detect and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information. They do this by creating specific rules for how your data can be used, shared, or stored. For example, a security team might program a DLP product to redact any detected credit card numbers in Slack to maintain strict PCI-DSS compliance standards.

In other words, DLP software helps keep sensitive information under control to prevent incidents like noncompliance or data breaches.

Why do you need DLP?

Data loss comes with serious consequences. A single data leak can damage your reputation and cost upwards of $4 million (according to IBM). Businesses rely on DLP products to:

• Prevent data breaches: Stop unauthorized access to sensitive data to reduce the risk of leaks.
• Comply with regulations: Meet data protection regulations by ensuring that sensitive information, like personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI), stays secure.
• Protect intellectual property (IP): Prevent the loss of critical business information, such as trade secrets or proprietary technology.
• Guard customer data: Protect your customers' personal information from unauthorized sharing.‍
• Enhance security posture: Strengthen your overall security strategy by educating employees about security policies and best practices.

What are the different types of DLP products?

DLP products come in different forms, each designed to protect data in specific environments. Here are the three main types of DLP products:

• Network DLP products protect data as it moves across your network. They monitor network traffic to detect and prevent the unauthorized sharing of sensitive information.
• Endpoint DLP products focus on securing data on individual devices, like laptops or mobile phones. They control how users access data from their devices. ‍
• Cloud DLP products protect data stored in cloud environments. They enforce policies across platforms like Google Drive, Microsoft 365, and other cloud services.

How do you choose the best DLP product?

Choosing the best DLP product depends on your business’s specific needs. Here’s what you should look for when evaluating DLP vendors:

• Scalability: Your DLP product must grow as your business expands, such as by covering more users and cloud applications.
• Integration: Ensure that your DLP product integrates seamlessly with the platforms you already use, like email services, SaaS apps, and cloud storage services.
• Ease of use: The best DLP products offer simple dashboards, intuitive policy creation, and clear reporting features.‍
• Support: Look for DLP vendors that provide strong customer support so that you can maintain peak performance and stay ahead of threats.

What are the top DLP products in 2024?

Here’s a look at some of the best DLP products on the market today:

Nightfall AI

Nightfall is the comprehensive, AI-native data security platform that enables organizations to discover and protect sensitive data where end-users work in the modern enterprise: across SaaS and GenAI apps as well as email and endpoints. Whether you're looking to prevent secret sprawl, stop data exfiltration, or secure AI usage, Nightfall's industry-leading detection engine and flexible APIs cover a wide variety of use cases. Get a demo of Nightfall here.

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Microsoft Purview

Microsoft’s DLP product integrates smoothly with its suite of products, like Office 365 and Azure. It includes strong data detection features, making it easy to secure information in the Microsoft ecosystem.

Google Cloud DLP

Google’s cloud-focused DLP product helps businesses to find, classify, and protect sensitive data within Google Cloud. It also offers advanced encryption and policy management tools.

Netskope

Netskope is known for its seamless integrations with SaaS, IaaS, and web environments. It offers in-depth visibility and data protection via granular policy controls and user behavior analytics. However, users often note that deploying and maintaining Netskope can prove difficult.

Code42

Code42 is known for its robust endpoint data protection and insider threat detection capabilities. However, it may not provide the same comprehensive coverage for cloud and SaaS environments as other leading DLP solutions.

How can AI improve DLP?

AI-powered DLP products take data protection to the next level by boosting detection accuracy and automating responses to potential threats. Traditional DLP products rely on static rules to detect sensitive information. With AI and machine learning, DLP products can better recognize patterns, making them more effective at spotting threats.

Here’s how AI improves DLP:

• Better detection: AI can pinpoint sensitive data in both structured and unstructured data.
• Contextual understanding: AI-driven DLP products can understand the context of user activity for enhanced accuracy and insights.
• Faster responses: AI automates incident response, which helps to keep a strong security posture.
• ‍Continuous learning: AI systems learn from every incident, improving over time to stay ahead of evolving threats.
  

How does Nightfall use AI for DLP?

Nightfall uses advanced AI and ML to classify and protect sensitive information in real time. Here are some of its standout features:

• Real-time data classification: Nightfall uses AI to automatically identify and categorize sensitive data, from credit card numbers to PII, across multiple platforms and file types.
• Smart detection: Nightfall monitors user activity and detects unusual behavior, helping you spot potential threats early.
• Seamless integrations: Nightfall works with popular cloud apps like Slack, Google Drive, and Microsoft Teams, providing protection across all business-critical platforms.‍
• Automated remediation: Nightfall responds instantly to detected threats by automating the investigation and remediation processes.

What does the future of DLP products look like? 

With the rise of cloud services, businesses need specialized solutions to handle new risks. Future DLP products will rely heavily on AI and ML to provide real-time protection.

Nightfall is on the cutting edge of DLP innovation. Built with GenAI at its core, Nightfall doesn’t just monitor data—it also automates protection across SaaS apps, GenAI apps, email, and endpoints.

Ready to see a top DLP product in action? Schedule a demo today to see how DLP can help you to better secure your business.