Enterprises are increasingly migrating their data to the cloud in this digital landscape. It’s a useful move, but it begs the question, “What’s safe to put in the cloud?” Why would CIOs and IT managers have to draw a line in the sand about which data can and cannot be stored securely in the cloud? That line very frequently is concreted in DLP policy enforcement. But is DLP really the best solution for protection of cloud data?
The Exclusionary Nature of DLP
The Data Leak Prevention policies avoid the leakage of sensitive information from an organization’s control. This means it is the exclusionary nature whereby, once a file matches a DLP policy, it blocks its transfer to the cloud. This might sound very simple, but it opens several complexities.
- Restrictive Policies: These mean that most DLP policies are too broad, very often blocking even the legitimate transfers of data, just because they contain keywords or patterns of data.
- User Frustration: It can be frustrating for staff to work under such restrictions, whereby they may find other ways of sharing information through less secure methods that could leave the firm open to security breaches.
- Administrative Burden: The constant tuning and refinement of the DLP policies demand that IT teams be as tight or lax as possible in their policy enforcement.
The Real-World Impact of DLP Policies
Suppose an example of an employee trying to upload a file to a cloud service, in which there exists the term “IP Address.” The DLP policy will block the upload, even though there are no IP addresses in the file. In the end, the whole process leads to wasting time and annoying behavior, probably with high risks as the employee is driven to find other ways of sharing the file.
This example illustrates one of the basic problems with DLP policies: they are designed to prevent leakage, but they wind up breaking a lot of legitimate workflows. Moreover, the constant tuning of these policies sets up a tightening and loosening cycle of controls that can very easily lead to security inconsistencies.
Beyond DLP: A Proactive Approach to Cloud Data Protection
Though DLP is greatly useful, it is not the one-for-all solution in cloud data protection. To have security without a productivity impact, an enterprise needs flexibility and proactiveness in data security. Here follow some alternative strategies:
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Data Obfuscation and Encryption
This would involve obfuscating and encrypting the data before it is uploaded to the cloud, rather than blocking its transfer. That way, in case the data is intercepted, without the correct keys, it will not be decipherable. Advanced encryption techniques are at work in changing files, for instance, making them incomprehensible and secure—for instance, what Parablu does.
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Granular Access Controls
Implement granular access controls that enable organizations to specify precisely who can access data and on what terms. This minimizes the chances of unauthorized access while adding flexibility for any valid transfer.
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Continuous monitoring and threat detection
Monitor data transfers and user activity in real-time to be able to track potential threats. Sophisticated threat detection flags suspicious behavior, identifying and stopping a breach before it even happens.
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User Education and Awareness
Most of the accidental leaks can be evaded by educating users on security practices for data protection. Such awareness can be imparted through programs related to the necessity of security practices in adhering to security processes in place and the consequences of bypassing these processes.
The Parablu Advantage: seamless and secure cloud data protection
At Parablu, we firmly believe that any enterprise ought to be able to safely store any data within the cloud without constantly living in fear of DLP policies. We concentrate on comprehensive data encryption through robust methods for protection at rest and in transit, thereby making sure that this data gets exposed only to authorized users.
- Data obfuscation: Making files and folders unreadable formats on the cloud storage target provides an additional layer of security to the data.
- User-friendly solutions: Minimal disruption to user workflow so that employees continue to be productive without compromising security.
- Scalable and flexible: Our solutions scale with your organization, thus providing tailored security measures that will satisfy your needs.
Conclusion
While DLP policies serve a purpose, they are not a panacea from the perspective of cloud data protection. Their exclusionary nature disrupts workflow users, frustrates them, and puts an administrative burden on IT teams. By being more proactive, organizations can execute robust cloud data protection without the drawbacks of traditional DLP policies through data encryption, granular access controls, continuous monitoring, and user education.
At Parablu, we are committed to helping enterprises transition securely to the cloud. Our solutions secure, make accessible, and free your data from the bonds of exclusionary policies. Feel free to scroll through our solutions and understand how we can help in your cloud data protection strategy.
We would love to hear about your thoughts and experiences. You can comment on them below or write to us at info@parablu.com. Together, let’s work to secure your data in the cloud.
