Reasons Why Your Organization Needs Data Loss Prevention Policy?
Having a good data leak prevention plan is a must for all organizations today. In today’s world, when companies rely on all kinds of new emerging technologies for carrying out their business, it’s no less than a challenge to prevent sensitive information from being breached, either maliciously or accidentally. This is because the wider the range of technologies used, the more are the avenues that open up before people who want to break into an enterprise network and steal sensitive data. Possibilities of data being leaked accidentally also increase many times than before.
So, what all should we keep in mind while thinking of an organization’s data leak prevention policy? Let’s take a look…
Begin by classifying data
This is the ideal first step. Classify all data that’s there at the company’s disposal. This would give a clear idea regarding what data needs to be protected and also regarding the level of risk. This helps decide on the level of data loss prevention that’s needed and also helps decide which tools to be used. Content discovery tools help companies scan stored data and find sensitive and classified data that might perhaps be unprotected or might be located on inappropriate, rather unsecured, systems/devices.
Decide upon the tools you need to use
It’s always important to make a clear decision about the data loss prevention technology that needs to be used. There are many products available in the market. Decide which ones need to be used, based on the requirements, the nature of the business and the size of the organization. Always go for a product that gives comprehensive security. Take care of everything, ranging from the very basic encryption to using USB port blocking technologies. Choose the best tools for each aspect of data loss prevention.
Have strong authentication as regards access to sensitive data
Sensitive data needs to be handled with extra care. Have strong authentication for that. There should always be someone in charge, who should be answerable for any issue that affects sensitive data and its handling. Have procedures in place for escalation of any security issue or suspicious behavior that’s noticed and make sure everyone handling sensitive data is aware of the security controls in place so that they don’t attempt copying or sending out data.
Check if your security policies are up-to-date
Do a thorough check of your security policies, see if they are all up-to-date. See if it covers everything including things pertaining to the usage of Skype, mobile devices, blogs etc. You also need to ensure that it covers things like usage of USB ports, data access etc. All this is key to the secure transmission of sensitive data within an organization.
Train employees, inform them of the risks regarding communication channels
Train and educate employees on all aspects of data loss prevention. Inform them of all the risks of using the different communication channels. Train them on how to stay safe from social engineering-based hacks, especially phishing. Employees should also be informed on how to handle the data at their disposal; for this, they need to be trained on how to identify sensitive data and how to secure the same.
Do a thorough background check of employees in sensitive positions
Thorough background checks need to be done for all employees in sensitive positions. The HR department should have this as a policy of sorts and they should also be very particular about having nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements signed by such employees.
Allocate the necessary budget
Data loss prevention is crucial to any business today. It could decide the fate of the business and have a great impact on the smooth running of the company. Hence allocate the necessary budget for data loss prevention; don’t ever compromise on it.
Let not security policies hamper work
Security policies are a must, but it needs to be kept in mind that the security policies are easy to follow and don’t hamper day to day work in any way. Provide employees whatever facilities they need and don’t restrict them unnecessarily as it’s productivity that’s paramount for any business.
Related Resources:
Data Loss Prevention For Beginners
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