Stories about: Vericept

Though data-loss prevention gear is proving a boon for corporate security, its "see all, know all" style of content monitoring can cast a harsh glare on business practices and legal issues that end up putting information-technology staff on the spot.

Data leakage prevention has become one of the hottest subsets of the IT security market, but organizations hoping to utilize the tools must retain realistic goals and find the right technologies to meet their individual business models, experts maintain.

When it comes to protecting his company's data, Tom Scocca doesn't mind that he might be seen as something of a Big Brother by internal end users.

Data-loss-prevention technologies promise organizations the chance to stop sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands. But the process of creating the rules necessary to use the systems' enforcement capabilities is proving extremely complex for customers.

Denial of service attacks, viruses, spyware and phishing schemes may be the best-known corporate security threats, but vendors are pushing products designed to address "content security" holes.

Not all the data-leak start-ups have been snapped up by the big guys. Here are five data-leak-prevention companies to keep an eye on.

High-tech consumer products and services of all kinds are making their way into the workplace. They include everything from smart phones, voice-over-IP systems and flash memory sticks to virtual online worlds. And as people grow more accustomed to having their own personal technology at their beck and call -- and in fact can't imagine functioning without it -- the line between what they use for work and what they use for recreation is blurring.

Google believes that its consumer-grade Web applications represent the future of enterprise IT. But while Google is quick to trumpet its products' innovative features, the search giant hasn't said much about their security. Until recently, that is.

When the media relations department at Global Crossing first started planning a company-sponsored external blog last year, Michael Miller, vice president of security at the telecommunications services provider, made sure he was involved in the conversation.

McAfee on Monday announced its foray into the data loss protection market with software designed to guard sensitive information from unauthorized access and transfer at the network, desktop and notebook levels.

3Com this week plans to make a fresh run at Cisco and Juniper with an enterprise network strategy focused on embedding security, management and VOIP services from itself and others into its routers and switches.