Data Loss/Leakage Prevention

Abstract: In today’s business world, many organizations use Information Systems to manage their sensitive and business critical information. The need to protect such a key component of the organization cannot be over emphasized. Data Loss/Leakage Prevention has been found to be one of the effective ways of preventing Data Loss.

DLP solutions detect and prevent unauthorized attempts to copy or send sensitive data, both intentionally or/and unintentionally, without authorization, by people who are authorized to access the sensitive information. DLP is designed to detect potential data breach incidents in timely manner and this happens by monitoring data.

Data Loss Prevention is found to be the data leakage/loss control mechanism that fits naturally with the organizational structure of businesses. It not only helps the organization protect structured data but it also helps protection and leakage prevention of unstructured data.

DLP is considered as preventive control which when applied helps organization prevents data leakage of sensitive information (Personal identifiable information, financial information, trade secrets, merger and acquisitions etc.).

The DLP solution is not only for the big organizations and for particular industry sector like banking and finance but it is a need for small organizations and other fields of business (Health care, aviation, consulting etc.) due to various Laws and Regulatory requirement by different countries.

In this thesis we have taken a case study of one of the organization which is a fortune 500 company head quartered in US and spread all across the globe, and is having its business majorly in payroll processing and HR solutions. The sensitivity of the nature of work and the data the organization has made us to do a detailed study and case research of DLP in conjunction with the previous technologies organization has after implementing the DLP solution.

We have done detailed study and research on the security gaps DLP has narrowed in the organization by studying all the technologies prior to implementing DLP.

Further research on DLP is also covered in this thesis; here we have taken one of the hottest and emerging technologies in market, i.e. cloud computing with DLP. It's always said that one of the major disadvantage of adopting cloud computing is Security, here in this report we have tried to find and analyze the gap that can be filled by integrating DLP with cloud computing. A more detailed study and research has to be taken in this area of cloud computing with DLP.