IT-14 Data Loss Prevention (DLP)

What is IT-14 Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Control?

One of the many controls, IT-14 Data Loss Prevention (DLP) control, refers to the measures and technologies implemented within an organization to prevent the unauthorized disclosure or loss of sensitive data.

It involves the use of various tools and techniques to detect, monitor, and protect data from being leaked or accessed by unauthorized individuals. DLP controls are designed to identify and prevent data breaches, whether intentional or accidental, by monitoring the movement of data within the organization’s network and endpoints.

The main objective of IT-14 Data Loss Prevention Control is to safeguard sensitive data and ensure compliance with data protection regulations. By implementing DLP controls, organizations can mitigate the risk of data loss or theft, protect their reputation, and avoid financial and legal consequences. These controls typically involve the use of software solutions that can monitor data in transit, at rest, and in use, as well as enforce policies to prevent data leakage.

IT-14 Data Loss Prevention controls can be categorized into three main types: network-based, endpoint-based, and data classification-based controls. Network-based controls monitor network traffic and analyze data packets for potential breaches. Endpoint-based controls focus on protecting data on individual devices, such as laptops and mobile phones. Data classification-based controls involve identifying and categorizing sensitive data to apply appropriate security measures.

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) control ensures that your organization has implemented a process to make sure that employees are not sending sensitive information outside of the organization. There is no mandatory requirement on the type of DLP used (network DLP, endpoint DLP, or cloud DLP); the auditor wants to see the configuration settings for the type of DLP you have.

Available tools in the marketplace

The following listing is “crowdsourced” from our customer base or from external research. TrustCloud does not personally recommend any of the tools below, as we haven’t used them.

Available templates

TrustCloud has a curated list of templates, internally or externally sourced, to help you get started. Click on the link for a downloadable version:

1. N/A: No templates are available for this control

Control implementation

To implement this control,

You need to install a tool and provide the configuration settings of the tool to pass this control.

Use these best practices when configuring the tool:

1. Identify and control sensitive data. It’s important to know what critical information you want to control and not leave your organization.
2. Know where the data resides.
3. Set conditions for accessing the data and who can access it.
4. Set the actions to take in case of a security issue.

What evidence do auditors look for?

Most auditors, at a minimum, are looking for the below-suggested action:

1. DLP configuration settings show the policies are enabled.
2. DLP actions to take when something occurs
3. A recent example of a DLP alert

Evidence example

For the suggested action, an example is provided below:

1. DLP configuration settings show the policies are enabled.
   Source
   The following screenshot shows the enablement of policies.
   
2. DLP actions to take when something occurs.
   Source.
   The following screenshot shows incident report settings.
   
   
3. A recent example of a DLP alert.
   Source.
   The following screenshot shows the DLP alert.
   
   

In conclusion, IT-14 Data Loss Prevention (DLP) control is a crucial aspect of any organization’s security strategy. By implementing effective DLP controls, organizations can minimize the risk of data breaches and protect sensitive information from unauthorized access or disclosure.