Data Leak Prevention
Data leak prevention (DLP) in cybersecurity refers to the strategies and tools used to prevent sensitive information from leaving the organization's control without authorization. It's like having a security checkpoint at every building exit, ensuring that only authorized personnel with the proper clearance can take certain documents or data outside.
DLP involves a combination of technologies and processes, including:
Data identification and classification: Identifying and classifying sensitive data, such as personally identifiable information (PII), financial data, and intellectual property.
Access control: Implementing strict access control measures limits who can access and share sensitive data.
Network monitoring: Monitoring network traffic for unauthorized data transfers and suspicious activities.
Email and endpoint security: Implementing security measures to prevent data leaks through email, USB drives, and other endpoints.
Data encryption: Encrypting sensitive data in transit and at rest to protect it from unauthorized access.
Employee training: Educating employees about data security best practices and the importance of protecting sensitive information.
DLP is essential for organizations of all sizes to protect sensitive data and comply with regulatory requirements.
ThreatNG, an all-in-one external attack surface management, digital risk protection, and security ratings solution, offers extensive capabilities to support data leak prevention, primarily through its external discovery, assessment, continuous monitoring, and investigation modules.
External Discovery and Assessment: ThreatNG excels at unauthenticated external discovery, meaning it can identify and gather information about internet-facing assets without needing credentials or access to internal systems. This is valuable for discovering unknown or overlooked assets contributing to the attack surface. ThreatNG's external assessment capabilities then analyze these discovered assets to identify potential vulnerabilities and security risks.
Here are some examples of how ThreatNG aids in data leak prevention through external discovery and assessment:
Sensitive Code Exposure: ThreatNG's Sensitive Code Exposure module scans public code repositories for sensitive data, credentials, and security configurations. This helps identify potential data leaks associated with exposed code, such as API keys, access tokens, and database credentials.
Cloud and SaaS Exposure: ThreatNG's Cloud and SaaS Exposure module identifies and assesses the organization's cloud services and SaaS applications, including cloud storage buckets, databases, and web applications. It can detect misconfigured cloud storage, exposed databases, or vulnerable web applications, which could lead to data leaks.
Search Engine Exploitation: ThreatNG's Search Engine Exploitation module leverages search engines to identify exposed sensitive information, vulnerabilities, and publicly accessible assets. This includes identifying exposed credentials, sensitive directories, and vulnerable files that could lead to data leaks.
Data Leak Susceptibility: ThreatNG's Data Leak Susceptibility assessment evaluates the organization's vulnerability to data leaks by examining cloud and SaaS exposures, dark web presence, and other factors.
Continuous Monitoring: ThreatNG monitors the external attack surface for changes, ensuring that new assets or emerging threats are promptly identified and assessed. This helps organizations avoid potential data leaks and proactively implement security controls.
Investigation Modules: ThreatNG's investigation modules allow security teams to delve deeper into specific areas of concern, providing a more comprehensive view of the organization's security posture. These modules use enriched threat intelligence to identify potential data leak vectors, assess vulnerabilities, and prioritize remediation efforts.
Complementary Solutions: ThreatNG can integrate with complementary solutions like data loss prevention (DLP) tools, SIEM systems, and threat intelligence platforms, sharing threat intelligence to improve their effectiveness in preventing data leaks.
Examples of ThreatNG Helping:
A financial institution uses ThreatNG to identify and mitigate a vulnerability in its web application that could have allowed attackers to steal customer data.
A healthcare provider uses ThreatNG to detect a misconfigured cloud storage bucket containing sensitive patient data, prompting them to secure it and prevent a potential data breach.
A government agency uses ThreatNG to continuously monitor its external attack surface for new devices and emerging threats, enabling it to defend against data leaks proactively.
By combining external discovery and assessment capabilities with rich intelligence repositories and continuous monitoring, ThreatNG empowers organizations to gain a comprehensive understanding of their attack surface, identify potential vulnerabilities, and proactively mitigate risks, ultimately preventing data leaks and protecting sensitive information.
