How to Reduce Data Security Risks with Cross-Platform DLP

See how to reduce data security risks in business with cross-platform data loss prevention solutions.

Nowadays, most businesses work with a mixture of device types and operating systems. Cross-platform Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solutions help to diminish cybersecurity vulnerabilities in heterogeneous IT environments efficiently.

Security risks in multi-OS environments

Organizations have shifted from a predominantly Microsoft Windows environment to various platforms, including macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. The shift from a largely homogeneous environment to a multi-OS one is due to multiple reasons. These include, among others, the consumerization of IT, Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) policies, cloud-based infrastructure, and an increasingly mobile workforce.

Nowadays, users expect to access confidential corporate information at any time, from any device, using any type of connection. These trends have led to increased risks in terms of cybersecurity.

Today it is common for organizations that workloads run on various platforms in various places, some of them on-premises while others in the cloud. As each OS and device type has its own particularities, a cross-platform environment is causing challenges to IT admins and is a solid premise for data security issues.

The amount of data that businesses handle is also growing; thus, the risk of transferring it to the cloud, onto removable devices, or sending sensitive data through email or collaboration apps is increasing. Public disclosure of confidential data can happen due to human error or malicious intentions, causing irreparable damage to companies, including fines and reputational harm.

Therefore it is crucial for businesses to choose IT security providers focused on delivering mixed-platform solutions. Hereafter, solutions that secure and manage heterogeneous system environments will be the norm, not the exception.

How does a cross-platform DLP solution help?

By deploying a cross-platform DLP solution, companies can apply the same data protection policies to all workstations. With the help of DLP policies, they can protect sensitive information such as personal information or intellectual property from leakage, loss, or theft.

Using content inspection and contextual scanning, DLPs search for sensitive information in hundreds of file types in real-time, whether in transit or stored locally on employees' computers or laptops. Once identified, they can monitor sensitive data, block its transfer and encrypt or delete it when it is found in unauthorized locations. DLP tools also log any attempted policy violations and produce reports of all security incidents.

In this way, the risks posed by insider threats that could lead to data being leaked, stolen, damaged, or otherwise compromised are significantly diminished.

How does a cross-platform DLP solution help?

By deploying a cross-platform DLP solution, companies can apply the same data protection policies to all workstations. With the help of DLP policies, they can protect sensitive information such as personal information or intellectual property from leakage, loss, or theft.

Using content inspection and contextual scanning, DLPs search for sensitive information in hundreds of file types in real-time, whether in transit or stored locally on employees' computers or laptops. Once identified, they can monitor sensitive data, block its transfer and encrypt or delete it when it is found in unauthorized locations. DLP tools also log any attempted policy violations and produce reports of all security incidents.

In this way, the risks posed by insider threats that could lead to data being leaked, stolen, damaged, or otherwise compromised are significantly diminished.

As a wrap-up

Heterogeneous IT environments present some particular security challenges, and having a variety of platforms increases the complexity and cost of managing the infrastructure within an organization. However, companies can significantly diminish risks by choosing the right security solutions. Cross-platform DLPs efficiently address data-related threats on Windows, Linux, and macOS computers, including the risks of insider threats, and unintentional or accidental data leaks.

Author:

Filip Cotfas, Channel Manager, CoSoSys