Data Loss Prevention

Read success story:
InfoWatch Helps Prime Focus, a Global Visual Services Group, Protect Intellectual Property

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What is so challenging in the data loss prevention?

Rapid proliferation of mobile computing devices, sensitive data sharing across geographically distributed offices, widespread outsourcing projects, though contributing to business efficiency, create significant difficulties in securing information confidentiality.

The majority of data loss prevention efforts have been focused on preventing outsiders from hacking into the organization, but as the statistics show the majority of all leaks are the result of unintentional information loss from employees and partners. Today own employees – intentionally or (more often than not) accidently can cause a catastrophe for their company with literally one mouse-click, for example an employee can send sensitive document to a personal email address to work on them from home, or email personally identifiable information to a mail-list.

With this prevalence of electronic communications, data-in-motion is one of the most significant risk factors. Monitoring of electronic communication channels in which confidential information can leave secure corporate perimeter and integration of monitoring solution with other security systems, such as proxy-servers, digital rights management and security information and event management platforms is crucial for efficient data loss prevention.

What data needs to be protected?

The growing data volumes data generated by business processes and personnel make it hard to precisely identify what information is confidential and requires protection.

Basically two major concerns – regulatory compliance and intellectual property protection – are driving data loss prevention efforts.

Accurate identification of the confidential information to be protected is the major success factor for data loss prevention.

InfoWatch data loss prevention approach

With its 7+ years’ experience in serving data protection needs of enterprise-companies, InfoWatch has elaborated a strategic approach to the development and implementation of DLP-solutions.

DLP is more methodology, rather than technology, which means that tight solution integration with customer’s infrastructure and business processes is a must and collaboration between solution vendor and customer is required throughout all implementation stages.

InfoWatch DLP-implementation includes 2 major stages: a trial and solution delivery. Both stages are accompanied by high-quality consulting services.

During a trial stage InfoWatch engineers and consultants help the customer define solution delivery model, elaborate unique customer-specific data model and change management plan.

1. Solution delivery model – passive information flow monitoring for further retrospective analysis and statistics, or inline traffic filtering – is defined in accordance with customer goals.

2. The content filtering database is a database that contains a hierarchical categories list. Each category includes terms and their combinations. Presence of these terms in the analyzed information allows defining its category and confidentiality level.

    

   Unique customer-specific data model is elaborated using InfoWatch solution components, such as InfoWatch Forensic Storage, Linguistic Analysis Technology and InfoWatch Autolinguist. Information categorization is done using the content filtering database. Based on its experience with leading telecommunication carries, government and financial institutions, oil&gas companies, InfoWatch has developed several industry-specific content filtering databases, that include categories and terms, relevant for all companies working in the specific market segments and providing up to 70% categorization reliability.

   Today InfoWatch offers several industry-specific content filtering databases, banking and finance, oil and gas, telecommunications, insurance, software development and government.

   This helps the customer save significant time in defining what exact information is sensitive and needs to be protected.

   Pre-installed polices and reports are used to define the specifics of company’s information flow (content routes): what information is transferred where, by whom and what data transfer channel is used.

3. Change management plan usually considers customer’s primary data protection drivers (governance, compliance and risk management or intellectual property protection) and data model and provides clear instructions on information handling rules and business process adjustments required to achieve the customer’s goals. Efficient data loss prevention not necessarily implies significant investment in multiple technological solutions, and can be often promoted with changes in employee behavior.

During solution delivery stage InfoWatch engineers integrate the solution into the customer’s IT infrastructure according to the delivery model, defined in trial.

Customer employees are offered several educational courses for technical personnel, as well as for Information Security Officers on efficient solution maintenance and utilization.

High-quality support services are available to our customers both during a trial and after solution delivery.