Data Loss Prevention (DLP): How to Protect Sensitive Data from Breaches and Exfiltration

What data loss prevention is, how DLP software works, what to look for in a solution, how it supports compliance, and how IT Solutions Technology Partners helps businesses deploy it.

Data loss prevention (DLP) is software and practices that stop sensitive data from leaving your organization, whether through a breach, deliberate exfiltration, or accidental exposure. DLP monitors data in use, in motion, and at rest, then detects and blocks unauthorized transfers of information like personally identifiable information (PII) and intellectual property. IT Solutions Technology Partners helps businesses select, configure, and manage DLP, including within Microsoft 365.

What is data loss prevention (DLP)?

Data loss prevention (DLP) is software designed to identify potential data breaches and data exfiltration, the deliberate movement of sensitive data outside an organization's perimeter without permission. It protects both personally identifiable information (PII) and intellectual property.

Backups are essential for recovering data after theft or disaster, but they solve a different problem. DLP is preventive: it keeps sensitive data from leaving the organization in the first place. That makes DLP a complement to backup and disaster recovery, not a substitute for it.

How does DLP work?

DLP tools monitor sensitive data in use, in motion, and at rest, then detect and block its unauthorized transmission. Whether data is accessed through hacking, malware, or a social engineering attack, DLP still prevents it from leaving the corporate network or being reached by a user without sufficient privileges.

The most sophisticated DLP solutions are content-aware and context-aware. This lets them inspect and control file transfers, manage which USB devices are permitted for data storage, and enforce data encryption at all endpoints, which are generally the most vulnerable points of attack.

What should you look for in a DLP solution?

DLP solutions vary widely in their feature sets and ease of deployment, so it helps to know what separates a strong one. IT Solutions Technology Partners recommends business leaders look for these capabilities:

• Broad compatibility. The solution should work across a wide variety of technology platforms and support hundreds of file formats.
• A usable admin experience. The DLP server should offer a user-friendly interface that administrators can access and operate easily.
• A light client footprint. The DLP client should have the smallest footprint possible, running without disrupting daily work so the end-user experience stays virtually seamless.
• Policy enforcement and visibility. The solution should identify users who fail to follow data security best practices and support prudent management of their policy violations.

How does DLP support regulatory compliance?

DLP does more than prevent data theft and exfiltration. By helping ensure data privacy, it supports compliance with regulatory mandates such as HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and SOX, among others. That reduces the risk of running afoul of regulators and incurring fines and other penalties.

For regulated businesses in healthcare, financial services, and similar sectors, this compliance benefit is often as valuable as the security benefit, because a single mishandled record can trigger both a breach and a regulatory violation.

How does DLP fit into a broader data protection strategy?

DLP is one half of protecting your data, and backup and disaster recovery is the other. DLP keeps sensitive data from getting out, while backup and disaster recovery ensure you can recover data and operations if something is lost or destroyed. A complete strategy uses both.

The disciplines that make DLP effective also mirror sound continuity planning: understand which data matters most and your tolerance for loss, document your policies clearly, and test and review them regularly rather than setting them once and forgetting them.

What are the best practices for implementing DLP?

Effective DLP is a program, not a one-time install. IT Solutions Technology Partners recommends these practices:

• Understand your data and risk tolerance. Identify your critical and sensitive data first, and be honest about how much loss or exposure the business can withstand.
• Classify what needs protecting. Focus DLP policies on PII, intellectual property, and regulated data rather than trying to watch everything equally.
• Document your policies. Maintain clear, current documentation of what is protected and how, so the rules are enforceable and auditable.
• Test and review regularly. Data, systems, and threats change, so review DLP policies on a schedule to uncover gaps before they matter.
• Train your users. Many violations are accidental, so ongoing education reduces both risk and false positives.

How does IT Solutions Technology Partners help with DLP?

IT Solutions Technology Partners is a managed IT and cybersecurity provider, founded in 1994, that helps businesses in regulated sectors like healthcare, financial services, and legal protect sensitive data with data loss prevention. ITS counsels clients on DLP solutions, sets up the software, trains users, and manages policies over time, and the ITS team has extensive expertise configuring DLP within Microsoft 365.

For a complimentary, no-obligation consultation about DLP and how it might benefit your firm, contact IT Solutions Technology Partners at 1.866.PICK.ITS (1.866.742.5487).

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between DLP and data backup? DLP prevents sensitive data from leaving your organization through breaches, exfiltration, or leaks. Backup and disaster recovery ensure you can restore data and operations after data is lost or destroyed. They address different risks, and a complete data protection strategy uses both together.

What types of data does DLP protect? DLP is built to protect sensitive information such as personally identifiable information (PII) and intellectual property. It monitors that data in use, in motion, and at rest, and blocks unauthorized attempts to move or transmit it outside the organization.

Can DLP stop data loss from hacking or social engineering? Yes. Whether sensitive data is accessed through hacking, malware, or a social engineering attack, DLP still prevents it from leaving the corporate network or being reached by a user without sufficient privileges. That is what makes it a preventive control rather than only a recovery tool.

Does DLP help with regulatory compliance? Yes. By helping ensure data privacy, DLP supports compliance with mandates such as HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and SOX, which helps organizations avoid regulatory fines and other penalties. For regulated businesses, this compliance value often rivals the security value.

Does Microsoft 365 include DLP? Yes. Microsoft 365 includes built-in DLP capabilities, and the IT Solutions Technology Partners team has extensive expertise configuring DLP within Microsoft 365 to fit each organization's data and policies.