Data serves to inform customer relations, business decisions, and even provides competitive advantage for small and medium enterprises within business. Protecting sensitive data is undeniably a priority to these businesses in a world where data breaches are emanating every single day. Data Loss Prevention strategies can assist businesses in sustaining income while avoiding losing customer trust.

Below are the data loss prevention strategies. The post is best suited for Small Medium Enterprises starting out without foresight of danger.

Understanding Data Loss Prevention

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) aims to prevent the exfiltration of critical business information. This involves a set of processes and tools that seek to identify, monitor and protect proprietary data from unauthorized access, sharing or theft.
As boundless internet has made the world interconnected, data breaches are on the rise. This poses a problem for Small Medium Enterprises who do not have advanced security systems like larger corporations.

Having an effective DLP system enables the protection of data assets and ensures business operations are conducted non-stop.
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Data Classification System DLP

Apart from enhanced security, adopting DLP strategies provides smoother business operation. This provides opportunities as a backup plan is already on the way. Having ease on business operations begins with:

1. Classification of data

The business needs to know what are the documents and at what level does context do they require protection. In knowing the level or class of data, DLP processes will assign an appropriate class.

As an example, sensitive customer financial information and company maintained trade secrets should be classified as data of utmost importance.

Tools and Techniques

• Make use of Spirion, Inc.’s Spirion and Varonis Systems, Inc. to automatically categorize and identify sensitive files.
• Provide better separation of sensitive data by employing clear designations such as “Confidential,” “Internal Use Only,” and “Public.”

You achieve improved overall security measures when sensitive data is protected through targeted strategies streamlined to different levels of classification.

2. Enhance Endpoint Protection

Mobile phones, laptops, and desktop computers are among the most commonly exploited devices for unauthorized access to sensitive data. With an endpoint protection system, these devices are maintained in a secure state no matter where they are located.

Best Practices

• All devices should be equipped with updated firewall and antivirus software.
• Microsoft Defender and Sophos Endpoint offer complete and unrestricted monitoring and control over sensitive data, enabling administrators to apply stringent restrictions at will.
• Enable strong account password policies and multifactor authentication (MFA) to enhance overall user account security.

3. Set aside time to examine the network traffic on your systems routinely

The company network is yet another possible route for unauthorized data gathering. Network monitoring systems are critical for the detection of any suspicious activities like traffic or data leaks.

Recommended Technologies

• Employ IDPS technology to automatically respond to flagged anomalies. They can be programmed to monitor real time traffic such as Snort and Palo Alto Networks.
• Set alerts for unusual data flows such as abnormal file uploads during non-working hours and unknown log in site attempts.

4. Apply additional protective measures to cloud information

Data healing has become a primary concern for small and medium enterprises adopting a cloud based system. There are a number of issues that affect the cloud environment, including misconfiguration and unauthorized intrusion.

Having Effective Cloud Security Strategies

• Boxcryptor and Cryptomator are services which can be used to aid in streamlining the process of uploading sensitive information to the cloud storing it encrypted.
• Use access constraints through IAM tools to ensure only authorized users have access to the information.
• Conduct periodic audits of the security of cloud networks to evaluate vulnerabilities.

5. Train and Raise Awareness Among Employees

Even the most secure systems may fall prey to human blunders. Phishing and oversharing of information are two commonplace causes for breaches. Therefore, fostering a security-conscious culture in the organization is equally important as the technological measures in place.