Cloud computing data leakage protection methods are increasing with popularity in today’s date. It is so because organizations have started seeking methods to reduce the chances of sudden data breaches occurrence. Gartner estimated that by the end of the year 2018, around 90% of the business users will be having at least one form of a consolidated cloud DLP solution. This estimation is actually 50% up from the year 2016. There are multiple vital technologies used to create one strong DLP, enabling the main engine to properly protect the business’s confidential content.
Overview of Cloud Computing Data Leakage Protection
The procedure of protecting online information at rest, transmit mode, and on the endpoints is known as the DLP solution. It reduces the chances of Cyberthreats or unauthorized data leakage up to a major extent. An accurate DLP approach purpose is to secure confidential information, which is stored on the public cloud or untrusted server. It protects the industries that are using cloud computing technology on regular basis to grow their business.
How Does Cloud Computing Data Leakage Protection Technology Works?
Cloud computing data leakage protection techniques can be classified into two parts i.e., Enterprise DLP and Integrated DLP. Enterprise data leakage protection approaches are in the form of a bundle and comprehensive by nature. They monitor the email and network traffic in a firm. On the other hand, an integrated DLP solution is limited up to the security of web gateways, email encrypted software, secure email gateways, ECM environments, data classification and discovery utilities, and CASBs.
Point to Remember – It is important to be known from the actual difference between contextual analysis and content awareness. You can understand this concept simply by considering ‘content’ like a letter and ‘context’ like an envelope. Well, Content awareness means capturing the envelope and looking into it with the purpose of analyzing. Whereas, context analysis comprises of scanning of external factors like the format, size, email header, etc., that are not included in the letter’s content.
When an envelope is opened and content is processed, a DLP solution performs the content analysis. Several techniques associated with content analysis are availed to give alerts on privacy violations. A few of the respective techniques are mentioned below:
- Rule-Based / Regular Expressions – The most common analysis solution used in DLP is Rule-Base / Regular expressions. It comprises the main engine that is coded with a specific set of rules for content analysis like 9-digit US social security numbers, 16-digit credit card numbers, etc. Since the security standards are preconfigured and quick in processing, therefore, this approach is considered as an intelligent first-pass filter.
- Statistical Analysis Technique – This method in cloud computing data leakage protection make use of machine learning procedure to give instant alert on policy violation. It demands a large amount of content to scan from and to achieve the accurate result, else prone to false positives and negatives.
- Inbuilt Categories Analysis – This consolidates with new rules and dictionaries for similar kinds of confidential information like HIPAA, credit card numbers, etc.
- Database Fingerprinting – The method keeps a constant eye for making the exact matching from the live or dumps database. Although the connections with live or dump databases affect the performance, this option is best suited for the structured type of content in the database.
In the recent marketplace, there is a countless technique that delivers different kinds of content inspection. One thing needs to be considered here i.e., some DLP vendors are having their own content engines and some comply with a third-party application.
Advantages of Cloud Computing Data Leakage Protection Solution
Following highlighted are the major advantages of cloud computing data leakage protection techniques :
- Scan the information stored on the cloud and audit it on the specified time interval
- Capability to discover confidential content, which is saved on the cloud storage
- Automatically applies controls to prompt, block, and encrypt the sensitive data
- Hold the data visibility and controls required to comply with security standards
6 Quick Tips to Be Kept in Mind While Choosing DLP Providers
At the time of going through cloud DLP selection procedures, enterprises should ensure that at least the following things are present in their chosen solution :
- Extend the cloud security policy enforcement on integration between API and CSP
- Block, prompt, and remove vulnerabilities
- Content and context DLP monitoring
- Generate activity log and report
Conclusion With A Real Fact
Whether an organization accepts it or not but, the real fact is that ‘until and unless business employees are unable to maintain security in the business cloud, its impossible to achieve the expected security level’. Tightening the cloud protection level with cloud computing data leakage protection gives assurance that no business content will be breached. But if an employee himself is responsible for a data breach due to an unintentional kind of mistake then, what to do? Therefore, a proper balance is required to achieve online information security in the industry.