Data loss prevention (DLP) is a methodology and set of practices for protecting against and detecting data leaks, theft, or other unauthorized access. It filters data streams on corporate networks, analyzes endpoint activity, and classifies regulated, sensitive, and business-critical data.
In 2022, the total value of the worldwide data loss prevention market was estimated at $1.8 billion. The IMARC Group forecasts that the market will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.6% between 2023 and 2028, reaching US$ 6.0 billion.
“DLP” stands for “leakage prevention and data loss defense” for organizations. When critical information is lost to the business, as might happen in a cyberattack, it is called data loss.
A company’s overall security strategy includes data loss prevention (DLP), which focuses on identifying and preventing data loss, leakage, or misuse due to breaches.
The primary goal of data loss prevention is to stop the unauthorized transfer of data across organizational boundaries. It ensures that users do not send sensitive or essential information outside the corporate network.
The DLP solution can speed up incident response by detecting weak points and unusual activity during routine networking monitoring.
Table of Contents
What is Data Loss Prevention?
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) encompasses essential tools and processes for safeguarding sensitive data. It ensures the prevention of data loss, misuse, or unauthorized access.
For organizations looking to safeguard their data assets and uphold regulatory compliance, DLP practices include spotting and preventing data breaches, exfiltration, and unintentional data destruction.
DLP solutions effectively monitor and secure sensitive information across various landscapes, spanning on-premises systems, cloud-based environments, and endpoint devices.
This comprehensive approach aids in achieving compliance with stringent regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Ultimately, DLP provides security teams complete visibility into all network data, offering robust data protection and regulatory compliance.
How do DLP Solutions Prevent Huge Data Losses?
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solutions are critical for safeguarding sensitive information and mitigating data breaches. They employ several technical mechanisms to prevent significant data loss.
- Content Inspection: Data Loss Prevention solutions perform deep content inspection using regular expressions, keywords, or file signatures to identify sensitive data, such as credit card numbers or intellectual property.
- Contextual Analysis: They analyze data in context, considering user actions, device types, and locations to assess the risk level associated with data transfers.
- Encryption and Redaction: Before sensitive data leaves the network, Data Loss Prevention software encrypt or redacts it, making it unreadable by unauthorized users.
- Endpoint Control: By monitoring and controlling data flows at endpoints (e.g., laptops, mobile devices), Data Loss Prevention tools ensure data security even outside the corporate network.
- Network Monitoring: They employ packet inspection and traffic monitoring to detect and block data leaks in real-time, ensuring data doesn’t exit unauthorized channels.
- User Activity Monitoring: Data loss prevention systems monitor user behavior, looking for unusual patterns and enforcing rules limiting data access under predetermined criteria.
How Does DLP Work?
Data Loss Prevention software (DLP) serves a dual role of critical importance: it aids in identifying sensitive data (detection) and prevents its accidental or intentional loss (monitoring/blocking).
DLP solutions leverage a blend of conventional cybersecurity tools like firewalls, endpoint protection, monitoring services, and antivirus software, as well as cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and automation.
DLP technologies support essential cybersecurity functions:
1. Rule-Based/Regular Expressions: In Data Loss Prevention (DLP), rule-based analysis is a swift initial filter that identifies patterns like credit card numbers and social security numbers.
2. Database Fingerprinting: Known as Exact Data Matching, this method precisely matches data from database dumps or live databases, albeit with a potential performance impact.
3. Exact File Matching: It matches file hashes for precise identification, reducing false positives, but is unsuitable for similar but not identical file versions.
4. Conceptual/Lexicon: Customizable policies use dictionaries and rules to detect unstructured content.
Features of Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Software
- The technology monitors data in transit at the network edge for security breaches.
- Endpoint agents control, stop unlawful data exchanges and provide real-time user feedback.
- Access control, encryption, and retention of secure resting data.
- DLP systems actively monitor and detect unwanted data access.
- Protection needs are determined by manually or automatically identifying data using machine learning.
- DLP and security systems like IDS, IPS, and SIEM alert on anomalous data transfers, preventing data leaks.
How do I Choose a DLP Solution?
| Alerts in real-time as well as extensive logging |
| The capability of scanning a variety of different storage sites |
| Identifying and classifying data according to its level of sensitivity |
| Policy development that is both flexible and includes pre-built templates |
| Consideration of all costs, including those incurred initially and continuously. |
| Capabilities for automatic encryption or masking of information |
| Compatibility with several different security tools and application programming interfaces |
| Minimal effect on the performance of the network and the endpoints |
| Options for deployment on-premises, in hybrid environments, or in the cloud |
| User-friendly interface for administrative tasks |
| Choose between an agent-based deployment or one without agents. |
| Help in meeting the standards for regulatory compliance |
| Consideration of all costs, including those incurred initially and on a continuous basis. |
Data Loss Prevention Tools and their Features
| Data Loss Prevention Tools | Features |
|---|---|
| 1. DoControl | Keeping an eye on data access Analysis of Permissions Alerts in Real Time Automatic Cleaning Up Reporting on compliance Access Control Based on Roles |
| 2. Check Point | Protected by a firewall Intrusion Prevention System. Antivirus and Malware Protection Help with VPN Keeping an eye on network traffic Handle applications |
| 3. Forcepoint | Compression of Data Getting and sending data Controls for the Quality of Service (QoS) Management of Bandwidth Checking the Protocol Analysis and filtering in real-time. |
| 4. Code42 | Integration of Cloud Storage Automatically sync files Keeping track of what users do eDiscovery and Legal Hold Remote Erase of Data Reports and data analysis |
| 5. Digital Guardian | Preventing the loss of data (DLP) Finding Data and Putting It in Order The Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Detection of Insider Threats Hunting for danger How to encrypt files and emails |
| 6. Trellix | Continuous watching in real time Analytics done in the cloud The probe was led by artificial intelligence Wide data collection Different ways to show data Data collection on demand |
| 7. Proofpoint, Inc. | Safety for emails Advanced Protection from Threats Preventing the loss of data (DLP) Intelligence on threats Encryption of Email Training for security awareness |
| 8. Data in Motion | Compression of Data Getting and sending data Controls for the Quality of Service (QoS) Management of Bandwidth Checking the Protocol Analysis and filtering in real time. |
| 9. Egress Software | Secure Collaboration in the Workspace Protecting Web Forms Safe Messages Reports and checks Secure Communication Going Out Sticking to the rules |
| 10. McAfee | Protecting the Web Firewall. VPN. Password manager. Parental control Anti-spam. Home network analyzer. Secure file shredder. |
10 Best Data Loss Prevention Tools 2024
- DoControl
- Check Point
- Forcepoint
- Code42
- Digital Guardian
- Trellix
- Proofpoint, Inc.
- Data in Motion
- Egress Software
- McAfee
1. DoControl
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| Year | 2020 |
| Location | New York |
Do Control is a robust Data Loss Prevention (DLP) tool that safeguards sensitive information within an organization’s digital ecosystem.
It uses deep packet inspection and content analysis to examine data in use, at rest, or in transit. The tool allows administrators to define granular DLP policies based on content, user roles, and device types.
This advanced solution empowers businesses to mitigate the risk of data breaches, ensure regulatory compliance, and protect their valuable assets.
Comprehensive reporting and alerting mechanisms provide visibility into data breaches, enabling swift incident response and data recovery.
Advanced encryption and data masking techniques protect sensitive data, rendering it unreadable to unauthorized users.
Credit card numbers, social security numbers, and private documents are all recognized as sensitive information patterns.
Provides seamless integration with cloud services, firewalls, and SIEM systems, increasing the effectiveness of the security infrastructure.
Features
- Access Controls for All Data.
- Stop data from getting lost in SaaS ecosystems.
- Apply Governance to Shadow Applications.
- Take care of insider threats and risks.
- Streamline how you respond to incidents.
- Meet the requirements for audits and compliance.
| What is Good? | What Could be better? |
| Makes SaaS data access control easier. | Supporting more SaaS apps. |
| Allows setup and management without technical expertise. | Offer adaptable policies to meet varied corporate demands. |
| Features broad data access and activity tracking. | Clarifying prices and bundles for potential users. |
| Security against illegal data transfers. |
2. Checkpoint
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| Year | 1993 |
| Location | Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel |
Check Point Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is a proactive safeguard against the unintentional loss of valuable and sensitive information.
Seamlessly integrated into Check Point’s Next Generation Firewalls (NGFWs), this solution empowers organizations to monitor data flows and maintain compliance with industry regulations.
NGFW-based DLP works diligently to track and control data transfers across the network, encompassing various data types and formats, including emails, web browsing, and file sharing.
It is a formidable barrier, ensuring sensitive data does not escape the organization. The system offers centralized management through a unified console with pre-configured best-practice policies.
Furthermore, it educates and alerts end-users about proper data handling, enabling real-time user intervention without IT or security team involvement.
Check Point’s multi-layered data protection strategy preempts theft, corruption, and unintentional loss, integrating seamlessly with SmartEvent for streamlined monitoring and reporting of critical data security events.
By implementing Check Point DLP, businesses fortify their data security posture, fostering compliance and user confidence.
Features
- Check Point offers secure business VPNs.
- Centralized systems control network security policies.
- Cloud security from Check Point protects public and private clouds.
- Mobile security safeguards remote workers’ devices and data.
- Check Point provides authentication and access control.
- Virtually, businesses can discover and assess dangerous files.
| What is Good? | What Could Be Better? |
|---|---|
| Small and large businesses can use it, with scalable solutions. | Beginners may find Check Point’s solutions difficult to set up and manage |
| Includes network, cloud, and endpoint security products and services. | Check Point solutions may demand a lot of hardware and computing |
| Centralized management simplifies security policy setup. | Mastering advanced features and capabilities may require time and effort. |
3. Forcepoint
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| Year | 1994 |
| Location | Austin, Texas, United States |
Forcepoint Data Loss Prevention (DLP) equips organizations with comprehensive data protection capabilities encompassing data discovery, classification, monitoring, and hidden data security.
This approach prioritizes the user experience, ensuring minimal disruption to employee workflows.
It replaces generic, all-encompassing regulations with personalized and adaptable data security, allowing intervention only when necessary, thereby fostering productivity.
The system automatically enforces restrictions tailored to a user’s risk profile through risk-adaptive data protection.
Users benefit from extensive policy customization through the industry’s largest pre-defined policy library, facilitating compliance with regulations spanning over 80 countries, including GDPR and CCPA.
Integrating Forcepoint Data Classification and Microsoft Purview Information Protection streamlines data classification efforts.
This solution effectively tracks intellectual property (IP) in structured and unstructured formats and thwarts gradual data exfiltration, even in offline scenarios.
Unified security policies can be established and applied seamlessly across web, cloud, and private applications via the Forcepoint ONE Security Service Edge (SSE) platform integration.
Features
- Monitors and stops illegal data transfers and leakage.
- Provides web filtering and security to prevent web risks and limit internet use.
- Provides cloud application security for data protection and compliance.
- Protects networks from malware, phishing, and sophisticated threats.
- It contains firewall technology to manage traffic and prevent invasions.
| What is Good? | What Could Be Better? |
|---|---|
| Forcepoint protects data, which is critical in today’s threat scenario. | It can be costly, especially for smaller firms with limited funds. |
| Strong cloud security solutions for data and applications. | Integrating Forcepoint systems with existing infrastructure may need expertise. |
| UEBA detects insider threats and anomalies using behavioral analytics. | Customers have had problems getting help due to uneven customer care. |
4. Code42
| Year | 2001 |
| Location | Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States |
Code42’s data protection solution employs a top-rated, risk-based strategy to reduce data loss within a robust data protection framework.
It operates under the assumption that all data is valuable and grants users extensive visibility to monitor data access and movement without obstructing legitimate work or productivity.
For a precise evaluation of data exposure, complete visibility into file, vector, and user activities across computers, cloud platforms, and email systems is crucial.
The system intelligently filters out irrelevant noise, focuses on trusted file activities, and tailors response strategies based on event severity.
Additionally, it orchestrates a seamless blend of human and technical responses, aligning them with the event’s severity and context.
Code42’s approach prioritizes addressing events and users with the highest risk, considering the combined severity of file interactions, vectors, and user behaviors.
Designed to facilitate secure collaboration, this risk-centric and data-focused solution offers comprehensive visibility.
It gives organizations an enterprise-wide perspective on data exposure to assess and enhance their risk posture.
Features
- Produces data security and data protection compliance reports.
- Simplifies secure data migration between devices and cloud storage.
- Allows quick and effective data security responses, including remote data wipe.
- Integration with other security systems improves security.
- Cloud apps and services get data protection.
| What is Good? | What Could Be Better? |
|---|---|
| Automatic laptop and desktop backup with file versioning and data recovery. | Larger enterprises may find Code42’s solutions pricey |
| Alerts on suspicious data transfers to avoid data leaks. | Code42 setup and settings can be complicated for some users. |
| An intuitive user interface simplifies setup and management. | |
| Multi-OS and device compatibility makes it useful for varied contexts. | |
5. Digital Guardian
| Year | 2003 |
| Location | Waltham, Massachusetts, United States |
Digital Guardian is a state-of-the-art cloud-based data protection platform, uniquely integrating Data Loss Prevention (DLP), Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), and User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) capabilities into a singular solution.
This all-inclusive approach provides comprehensive data protection against a wide spectrum of threats.
What sets Digital Guardian apart is its ability to eliminate the necessity for additional agents and separate consoles for EDR or UEBA, streamlining the operational workflow of IT security teams.
The platform excels at automating controls to prevent data breaches before they occur proactively.
Digital Guardian offers a holistic perspective by correlating system, user, and data events across endpoints, networks, cloud applications, and databases.
The Digital Guardian Analytics and Reporting Cloud uses a significant data cloud services architecture to gather, analyze, and turn millions of events into valuable insights.
This empowers analysts to prioritize and respond to threats more efficiently and effectively.
Features
- Helps identify and stop endpoint threats with advanced threat detection and response.
- Detects questionable user activity and insider threats using behavior analytics.
- Provides data safety for cloud apps and storage.
- Data is encrypted, and user rights and rules control access.
- Detailed forensics data aids security investigations and responses.
- Finds trends and dangers in security data to improve proactive security.
| What is Good? | What Could Be Better? |
|---|---|
| Digital Guardian protects sensitive data. | People find Digital Guardian setup and management complicated. |
| Finds sensitive data using robust data discovery and classification. | Constant monitoring and protection may exhaust resources. |
| Helps mitigate threats by investigating and responding to incidents. | |
| Effective data loss prevention (DLP) prevents data leaks and unwanted access. | |
Digital Guardian – Trial / Demo
6. Trellix
| Year | 2022 |
| Location | Milpitas, California, United States |
Trellix Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is your comprehensive safeguard against data exposure, whether accidental or intentional, regardless of its location.
It offers real-time data monitoring across the network, email, and web channels, ensuring adherence to predefined policies and preventing policy violations in real time.
Protecting sensitive content from unauthorized access and transmission enables secure data movement and encryption.
Seamless integration with various email and web gateway products via SMTP or ICAP streamlines deployment.
User notifications provide actionable feedback and request business justification when necessary, fostering user compliance.
This solution monitors and protects sensitive data across multiple endpoint vectors, including PCI, PII, and PHI.
Trellix DLP supports multiple protocols, such as SMTP, IMAP, POP3, HTTP, LDAP, Telnet, FTP, IRC, SMB, and SOCKS.
Analyzing network packets identifies data types and content while preventing unauthorized external devices from connecting to your corporate network.
Additionally, it inspects file and database content to pinpoint sensitive data, enhancing overall data protection measures.
Features
- Device events are relayed to the cloud for context and visibility to detect stealthy threats.
- Device activity analytics indicate a wide range of suspicious behavior and threats.
- Trellix Foundstone® forensic investigators’ knowledge to provide investigation guides.
- The AI-powered investigation engine analyzes warnings using artifacts.
- Trellix EDR search and data collecting can expand investigations and examine deeper.
| What is Good? | What Could Be Better? |
|---|---|
| It offers Enhanced Data Protection | Trellix DLP might require a complex setup process. |
| Trellix DLP offers compliance features to help organizations adhere to GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA standards. | Some critical analyses may put additional load on servers or network traffic, leading to inefficiencies. |
| It probably offer a centralized dashboard or console. | |
7. Proofpoint, Inc.
| Year | 2002 |
| Location | Sunnyvale, California, United States |
Proofpoint Endpoint Data Loss Prevention (DLP) adopts a contemporary, people-centric strategy for safeguarding your data.
It combines content awareness with behavioral and threat awareness, granting you intricate insight into user interactions with sensitive data.
You can detect, prevent, and respond to data loss incidents in real-time.
This solution identifies sensitive data by scanning content in transit and interpreting data classification labels, such as those from Microsoft Information Protection.
Proofpoint Enterprise DLP offers a unique people-centric approach that unifies content, behavior, and threat context, facilitating data loss prevention tailored to individual behaviors.
For existing single-channel DLP users, classifications can be seamlessly extended to new channels, like cloud applications streamlining administration.
Proofpoint Email DLP reduces the risk of email-related data breaches and ensures compliance with over 80 built-in policies.
It simplifies enforcement and visibility without the complexity and expense of disparate solutions.
Additionally, it integrates seamlessly with Proofpoint Enterprise DLP, uniting leading DLP solutions for email, cloud, and endpoints.
Features
- Stops zero-day exploits and targeted assaults.
- Protects cloud data by securing applications and services.
- DMARC authentication prevents email impersonation and domain spoofing.
- Protects confidential emails with encryption and policy.
- Training modules teach staff cybersecurity best practices.
| What is Good? | What Could Be Better? |
|---|---|
| Zero-day exploits and targeted assaults are detected and mitigated. | Proofpoint integration with existing infrastructure may need skill and effort. |
| Protects cloud data and applications. | Proofpoint’s solutions may be too pricey for lesser budgets. |
| Easy setup and administration with user-friendly management tools. | |
Proofpoint, Inc. – Trial /Demo
8. Data in Motion
| Year | 2010. |
| Location | Atlanta, Georgia, US. |
Data in Motion is a state-of-the-art Data Loss Prevention (DLP) tool designed to protect sensitive data while it is being transmitted across digital networks.
Administrators can set up granular DLP policies based on content, user roles, and communication protocols.
These policies specify how data should be handled and can launch instantaneous actions like blocking or encryption.
With the help of Data in Motion, you can quickly respond to incidents and document your compliance with regulations while receiving real-time alerts, notifications, and detailed reporting.
Advanced content analysis techniques identify data patterns like PII, intellectual property, or proprietary information to stop unauthorized transmissions.
The tool provides robust encryption mechanisms to guarantee data security while in transit.
Confidential information can safely traverse networks using secure tunnels that can be established.
This sophisticated solution is essential for protecting a company’s data assets and ensuring compliance with legal obligations.
Features
- Encrypts data to prevent unauthorized access.
- Reduces data packet size to maximize bandwidth and transmission speed.
- Uses TCP/IP and UDP to transmit and secure data.
- Transmission of real-time video, audio, or sensor data is standard.
- Reduces latency in real-time applications by decreasing data transfer delays.
| What is Good? | What Could Be Better? |
|---|---|
| Many applications and industries need real-time data exchange and cooperation. | Data in Motion can use a lot of bandwidth, affecting network speed. |
| Speeds up data transfer, minimizing delays and boosting network performance. | Some programs may be affected by real-time communication delays |
| Easily handles growing data and user needs | |
| Accepts text, multimedia, and sensor data. | |
9. Egress Software
| Year | 2007 |
| Location | London, England |
Egress Prevent is a comprehensive solution that leverages advanced technologies to detect accidental data loss incidents and malicious data exfiltration attempts.
It monitors and thwarts reckless or malicious actions, such as unauthorized data transfers to personal email accounts.
This versatile system allows for precise risk identification at individual, departmental, organizational, and supply chain levels, enabling proactive threat management.
Utilizing unsupervised machine learning, Egress Prevent dynamically identifies inadvertent data breaches, such as misdirected emails and file mishandling.
It offers easy deployment, mobile compatibility, and intelligent detection mechanisms for holistic data protection. The Egress Outlook add-in ensures seamless user experiences for Mac and OWA users.
Furthermore, Egress Prevent automatically reinforces security measures to adapt to evolving threats, encouraging secure user behavior.
Operating in the cloud, it coexists seamlessly with secure email gateways and native email platform security, including Microsoft 365, providing comprehensive data protection.
Features
- Monitors and controls sensitive data exchange to prevent leaks.
- Encrypted online forms allow sensitive data capture.
- Secures instant messaging and chat with encryption.
- Only authorized people can access sensitive files and data stored securely.
- MFA and user identity verification improve security.
| What is Good? | What Could Be Better? |
|---|---|
| Technical and non-technical users can use its interfaces and tools. | Secure communication systems may require plenty of processing and network power. |
| Strong encryption and data security safeguard critical data during transmission. | Expertise is needed to integrate Egress Software with current infrastructure. |
| Enables external data sharing and cooperation. | |
Egress Software – Trial / Demo
10. McAfee
| Year | 1987 |
| Location | San Jose, California, United States |
McAfee prevents unauthorized data disclosure or leakage, including content inspection, contextual analysis, and policy enforcement.
To locate and categorize sensitive data across numerous endpoints, networks, and cloud repositories, the core of McAfee DLP uses content discovery mechanisms.
When deciding whether an action is a legitimate transfer. To protect sensitive data inside organizations, McAfee Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is a robust cybersecurity solution.
It uses a multifaceted strategy to or a potential data breach; it then applies contextual analysis to evaluate user behavior and the data context.
This tool enforces data security policies by providing fine-grained control over data movement and implementing encryption, redaction, or blocking measures based on predefined rules.
Administrators are given visibility into data flows through real-time monitoring and reporting capabilities, enabling them to address security incidents proactively.
With a comprehensive solution to reduce data loss risks, adhere to regulatory requirements, and safeguard priceless intellectual property and customer data, McAfee DLP integrates seamlessly into an organization’s current security infrastructure.
Features
- Blocks dangerous websites and web risks for safe browsing.
- Blocks spam, phishing, and email threats.
- Maintains network security, including intrusion detection and prevention.
- Protects mobile devices and apps.
- Protects sensitive data with encryption.
| What is Good? | What Could Be Better? |
|---|---|
| Versatile options for individuals and large businesses. | McAfee products may be difficult to configure. |
| Compatible with various security solutions for enterprises with current infrastructure | Customer service can be inconsistent, and some users have had trouble getting help. |
| Easy setup and administration with management tools. | |
| Offers firewall, antivirus, and data protection. | |
Conclusion
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solutions are paramount for organizations seeking to protect sensitive data. DLP, short for “leakage prevention and data loss defense,” is vital to an organization’s security strategy.
It aims to prevent unauthorized data loss, leakage, or misuse, particularly in the context of security breaches. They include content inspection, which identifies sensitive data through regular expressions and keywords.
Contextual analysis assesses data within the context of user actions, device types, and locations, offering a more precise risk assessment.
Encryption and redaction make data unreadable to unauthorized users, while endpoint control ensures data security outside the corporate network.
These solutions provide comprehensive data protection and compliance adherence.
DLP solutions are indispensable for maintaining data security and regulatory compliance in an era of data breaches and stringent regulations.