What is it Data Leak Prevention?

For every high profile news story about data loss, there are many more you never hear about. The fact is most occurrences of data leakage and theft are attributed to insiders.

While enterprise networks are typically protected by avariety of security applications, PCs and laptops (endpoints) are often leftexposed to the threats from within. Anyone with access to endpoints can easilydownload proprietary information or infect them with viruses, trojan horses orother malware, using common portable devices that are easily accessed throughUSB ports such as CDs, memory sticks, flash drives, and iPods.

Data Leaks can occur via the following leak points:

Networks not inspecting every packet leaving an enterprise network, regardless of the size of the packet or type of packet
Networks not inspecting every packet leaving an enterprise network due to Quality of Service (QOS) impact
Networks not up to date with the latest attack signatures
Networks not detecting abnormal behavior of an employee, executive, or contractor
Eavesdropping / Voice Privacy – the ability to record or listen into conversations
Fraud – injecting voice in an existing stream of voice communications
Storage devices without password protection
Storage devices without encryption
PCs and Notebook computers without automated external device (e.g. USB flash drive) identification and authentication