Network DLP Explained

Network DLP is a Data Loss Prevention solution that monitors risky user behavior on the network to detect and block potential data exfiltration. Network DLP plays an essential role in a comprehensive data security strategy.

Network DLP helps security teams monitor the transfer of data and enforce data security policies for data in-motion and in-use to prevent insider threats and external threat actors. As the ramifications of a data breach grow more significant, more organizations are adopting network DLP.

Network DLP monitors how users interact with data across popular communication channels such as email and web. Network DLP policies prevent users from exfiltrating sensitive data from those channels by blocking behaviors like copying and pasting data, among other activities.

Network DLP is often part of a larger data security platform that incorporates multiple data security solutions that help organizations get a better handle on what information needs to be protected and where it’s located. By accurately identifying the data that needs to be covered by a network DLP, organizations are able to further mitigate risk of a data leak or data breach.

There are two types of data that network DLP covers:

• Data in-use: Information that is actively being accessed and shared, such as copying information from a spreadsheet into a generative AI chatbot.
• Data in-motion: Information that is being transferred from one location to another, such as an email with a PDF attachment.

When combining network DLP with solutions like endpoint DLP, organizations can extend data security policy coverage to all three types of data, including data at-rest.

Network DLP can mitigate risk for data in-use by monitoring and blocking copying and pasting of data on the network. This has become critically important with the rise of generative AI, as users may inadvertently share sensitive information such as social security numbers or credit card numbers as part of their prompt.

Data Visibility and endpoint DLP can secure data at-rest and ensure that users do not exfiltrate data via a removable device, such as a USB. This is a common use case for organization’s data security strategies and is a primary defense against insider threats.

Endpoint DLP and email DLP are both effective at protecting data in-motion. The solutions prevent data loss via outbound email and can educate users on safer actions to take.

There are two primary reasons why network DLP is becoming a necessity for businesses of all sizes:

• Regulatory risk: Businesses all over the world, especially multi-national companies that operate in multiple countries, face a growing list of privacy laws that they must comply with. Whether the policies are industry-specific, such as PCI DSS or HIPAA, or country-specific, such as GDPR or PDPB, DLP solutions help organizations stay compliant and prove to auditors they are taking the required actions to protect sensitive data.
• Financial risk: Data breaches and data leaks are costly. If sensitive information is lost, a company could be susceptible to a large fine for noncompliance, like with GDPR. These events often come with negative media coverage, resulting in a hit to reputation and in some cases a loss of business. DLP technologies provide the strong controls necessary to mitigate the various evolving risks to data security.

Network DLP carries many of the same benefits as Data Loss Prevention solutions in general. These include:

• Prevent data breaches by preventing the exfiltration of data in-motion.
• Enforce compliance with global data security and privacy regulations.
• Reduce insider threat risk by maintaining better visibility and control over data.
• Protect intellectual property by mitigating the chances it leaves the organization.

Forcepoint is the industry-leading provider of DLP solutions. Thousands of companies across the world rely on Forcepoint DLP to secure data across the network, web, cloud, endpoint and on email.

Key features of Forcepoint DLP include:

• The largest library of pre-defined policies to ensure regulatory compliance in over 80+ countries.
• Risk-adaptive protection that adjusts data security controls based on user risk to prevent exfiltration before it’s too late.
• Broad coverage of structured and unstructured data, as well as intellectual property, with unrivalled accuracy.
• Integration with Forcepoint Data Classification and Forcepoint Data Visibility for greater accuracy, efficiency and visibility of data across the organization.
• Data security everywhere through an integration with Forcepoint ONE Security Services Edge (SSE) platform, to create DLP policies once and implement them everywhere.

Speak to an expert about Forcepoint DLP today and see how network DLP can help your business.