Stories about: DLP

Most enterprise IT officials believe their company's employees pose a greater threat to data security than any outside source.

Symantec Tuesday announced an updated version of its antispam-antivirus gateway, as well as its plans to link its systems management and data-loss-prevention products more closely to simplify deployments for customers using both technologies.

The ongoing chaos on Wall Street could hold an upside for vendors of risk-management technologies and practices, as well as sellers of compliance management products.

With last year's acquisition of Port Authority, a data loss prevention (DLP) vendor and SurfControl, a Web and e-mail security company, Websense has since evolved from being known as a Web solution company to establishing itself as one that also provides DLP and e-mail security solutions.

A recent survey released by security software firm Symantec found 66 per cent of Millennial employees, those born after 1980, admit to using Web 2.0 technologies, such as Facebook and YouTube, while at work. The same poll found younger workers also regularly store corporate data on personal devices, such as PCs and USB drives.

With McAfee buying data-loss-prevention vendor Reconnex for US$46 million in cash, the question now is how will McAfee move forward in the future to bring the Reconnex product suite into its portfolio, especially with the overlap in DLP products between the two?

Looking to expand its range of data protection products, McAfee said Thursday that it will acquire Reconnex, a maker of data protection appliances and software.

Security issues often seem to smolder more than burn, but these six are certainly capable of lighting a fire under IT professionals at a moment's notice. Handle with care.

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.

Network security can be a thorny issue for small businesses because they generally lack pricey equipment and dedicated IT people who have the expertise to lock down a local area network. But addressing security is nevertheless essential: Just one customer data breach could easily wipe out a small business, and constantly battling viruses, spyware, and spam can sap employee productivity.

Symantec chairman and CEO John Thompson last week delivered a keynote speech to thousands of security professionals at the RSA Conference 2008 in the US. Ellen Messmer caught up with Thompson at the RSA event, where he expanded on a range of topics including vendor alliances, Symantec's competition and the importance of data-loss prevention technology.