What is 'data loss prevention' (DLP)?

Data loss prevention (DLP) refers to strategies and tools designed specifically to ensure that sensitive data is not lost, misused, or accessed by unauthorized users. This involves identifying, monitoring, and protecting confidential information, often through the implementation of policies, technologies, and processes that prevent unauthorized access and transmission of sensitive data, including personal information, intellectual property, and business-critical data.

DLP solutions can include monitoring and controlling data in use (such as on endpoints), data in motion (as it travels across networks), and data at rest (stored on servers), ensuring that sensitive information is safeguarded against accidental or malicious loss. By defining what constitutes sensitive data and setting rules for how it can be accessed and shared, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of data breaches and ensure compliance with regulations.

In contrast, methods to recover deleted files deal primarily with data recovery processes after loss has occurred, while backing up data refers to creating copies of data for recovery purposes. Protocols for data encryption focus on securing data by transforming it into a coded format that can only be accessed with the right decryption key. While these actions can be part of an overall data protection strategy, they do not encompass the comprehensive nature of DLP.