Data Loss Prevention (DLP) demand is growing

Read Why Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Demand Is Growing

With the importance in data security escalating, there has been an increased demand for the earliest approaches to securing data, namely data loss prevention, say experts.

Data loss prevention (DLP) is a term used to describe software products and strategies that help a network administrator control what data end users can transfer.

According to Trevor Coetzee, regional director, SA and Sub-Saharan Africa at Intel Security, there has been a revival of the DLP market locally and growth globally – in both data loss and data leakage prevention requirements – due to new privacy laws being implemented by countries across the world.

Many SA organisations are investigating solutions in preparation for the privacy laws like POPI within the country, says Coetzee.

Moreover, the demand is also being driven by the growing adoption of cloud services, data going across public cloud services, and increased focus on the insider threat that many organisations face on a daily basis, says Coetzee.

“We are also encountering, unlike what we have seen in the past with emerging technologies and capabilities, that SA companies are adopting cloud strategies and technologies at a surprisingly fast rate.

“As a result, they are now looking for numerous security solutions which align to their strategy – including DLP solutions.”

Research firm Markets and Markets agrees, saying one of the major factors that have helped the DLP market to grow is the increasing focus of organisations towards meeting regulatory and compliance requirements and data saved on public and private cloud.

Apart from this, factors such as increasing data breaches and cyber attacks are boosting the demand for DLP solutions, it adds.

Darryn O’Brien, country manager at Trend Micro Southern Africa, says organisations are realising that their data is no longer just information, but an asset which should be protected from the outside world.

It is this awareness that is driving the need for technologies and processes like DLP to address the situation, he adds.

Perry Hutton, Africa regional vice president at Fortinet, says the flow of data transactions into and out of the data centre, between data centres, or that is used and stored on a wide variety of devices is increasing at a dramatic pace.

During this process, the nature of the data changes, and comprehensive data loss prevention strategy is needed to address these different states, adds Hutton.

DLP strategies need to include not only business sensitive information but personal client and employee information too, as the loss of this data can be just as damaging to a business, says O’Brien. “In short it needs to be holistic and embrace all aspects of the business.”

Are you considering the protection that your data demands?

ITSecurity.Org can help you with your DLP requirements

By Regina Pazvakavambwa