Data loss prevention as a privacy-enhancing technology

Data loss prevention (DLP) is a mature technology deployed by many enterprises to support information security requirements. Key characteristics of DLP also make it a powerful privacy-enhancing technology that can satisfy a wide range of information-privacy requirements. In essence, DLP is a set of integrated technologies that detect sensitive data and prevent unauthorised use, release or delivery to specific destinations or recipients, as well as their storage at prohibited locations. DLP works in real time to identify personally identifiable information and react to privacy risks based on data content and the dynamic context of the information environment. Thus, DLP provides technical enforcement of terms and conditions, or policies more generally, to prevent privacy leaks. This paper provides an overview of the main features and elements of DLP.