Data Leakage Protection for Remote Teams: How to Secure a Distributed Workforce 

Remote working is not trendy anymore. 
It is the new norm. 
However, new forms of risks arise as teams enter the virtual world and data moves out of the office walls. First of all? 
Data leakage. 
Data may also leak through gaps in a million different ways, whether it is a misdirected email, an unsecured device, or insider threats and other unforeseen vulnerabilities. The challenge is even higher with the distributed teams. 
This is the reason why progressive companies are now resorting to effective data leakage protection policies to enhance the security of their data and minimize exposure to their distributed workforce.
<h2>What is Data Leakage Protection?</h2>
<a href="https://www.hawkshield.ai/products/microsoft-edge-browser-security">Data leakage protection</a> can be defined as the policies/tools, and architecture aimed at preventing blow-up, leak, or other unapproved availability of sensitive information such as customer data, financial data, or intellectual property. 
Although the two terms are used interchangeably, there is a need to learn what exactly the difference between data leak prevention and data loss prevention is. 
The latter concerns more of accidental loss through hardware failure or corruption, whereas data leakage prevention (DLP) narrows down to a purposeful or unintentional exposure of data to an outsider. 
<h2>Why Remote Teams Are More Vulnerable</h2>
Dealing with remote working and hybrid work has opened not only flexibility and productivity but has enlarged the attack surface that cybercriminals can leverage to wreak havoc. Telecommuting groups do not fall under the accepted parameters of IT security controls, and this creates new and hidden security issues:
<ul>
<li>Use of Personal Devices with Minimal Security Controls: The majority of employees retrieve the corporate information on personal laptops, tablets, or smartphones that do not have an enterprise-level of security. These devices are usually not updated with antivirus software, <a href="https://www.hawkshield.ai/blog/email-encryption-service">encryption, and endpoint protection</a>, and are easy targets for malware, keyloggers, and phishing. 
</li>
<li>Public or Unsecured Wi-Fi Connections: Wi-Fi networks at home and when using a Wi-Fi Hotspot (such as the one available in an airport or a cafe) pose a lot less secure level of connection when compared to a network within an organization. Those open networks provide an opportunity for attackers to use techniques such as <a href="https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/man-in-the-middle">Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks</a> to intercept data in transit or may have unauthorized access to corporate systems. 
</li>
<li>File Sharing Across Unregulated Platforms: Unless standardized <a href="https://www.hawkshield.ai/products/secure-file-sharing">file-sharing tools</a> are available, foreign workers might use lower-level systems, such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or personal email, to exchange business information. Such channels usually fail to have visibility, access control, and encryption levels required to guarantee secure communication, and the chances of unintentional or deliberate data leakages become higher. 
</li>
<li>Reduced Visibility and Control for IT Teams: In a standard office, IT enjoys centralized control over devices, user access, and network activity. This visibility in the remote environments is greatly compromised. The IT teams lack information about which devices are in use, whether they are well updated, or how data is being accessed and shared through different endpoints and networks.
</li>
</ul>
In this distributed and active setting, organizations have to enact a strong data leakage protection system that is extended beyond the edge setup. 
They involve real-time monitoring, identity verification, endpoint compliance, and Context-sensitive access controls, which all combine to protect all sensitive data wherever it resides. 
<h2>Key Elements of a Strong Data Leakage Protection Strategy</h2>
To create a successful data leakage protection strategy in the modern remote-first environment, it is not enough to merely install software and expect it to handle the job effectively. 
It needs to be a layered strategy with the incorporation of intelligent technology, policy, and people. 
The following is how organizations can develop a smart, scalable, and adaptive defense against data exposure:
<h3>1. Establish a Data Leakage Prevention Policy</h3>
Data leakage prevention policy forms the basis of any effective strategy outlining the rules of engagement. This policy must be well stated:
<ul>
<li>What is sensitive or governed data 
</li>
<li>Who is allowed to look, share, or even alter it 
</li>
<li>Which outlets can be classified as secured or limited 
</li>
<li>What behavior will promote a breach of compliance?
</li>
</ul>
Such a policy ought to be custom to the risk profile of your organization, regulatory needs, and nature of employees. It also establishes accountability since it will clarify the role and responsibilities of employees in guarding data, which is an essential move when dealing with a distributed team.
<h3>2. Use the Right Data Leakage Prevention Tools</h3>
Technology plays a significant role as a facilitator of detecting and preventing the risky behavior before causing a breach. The sensitive information should also be kept track and governed through data leakage prevention tools when it passes between endpoints, cloud applications, and collaboration tools. Good DLP applications are able to identify:
<ul>
<li>Posting of classified documents into illegal cloud storage 
</li>
<li>Copying of company data onto personal USB keysticks 
</li>
<li>Confidential information that has been sent through email attachment with external domains 
</li>
<li>Utilization of unsanctioned programs or the shady IT services
</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.hawkshield.ai/products/ai-ml-scrutinization">Data leakage prevention solutions powered by AI</a> such as HawkShield, take this one step further and apply behavior analytics to identify the threat prior to it actually happening and not simply respond to the use sensor.
<h3>3. Encrypt and Secure All Endpoints</h3>
Any device poses as a vulnerability in a remote work environment. Employees use laptops, mobile phones and tablets which are not under centralized control and are therefore easily compromised. In order to eliminate this gap:
<ul>
<li>Apply encryption at rest with full-disk encryption 
</li>
<li>Encryption Use strong authentication elements (e.g. MFA, biometrics) 
</li>
<li>Implement checks on the endpoint compliance prior to offering access to the network 
</li>
<li>Disabling external storage where not in demand
</li>
</ul>
Such device-level security would mean that in case of loss or theft of the device, the data will still be secured, which is the <a href="https://www.hawkshield.ai/blog/zero-trust-security-solutions-for-network-security">fundamental principle of Zero Trust</a> and ensuring data leakage protection in cybersecurity.
<h3>4. Implement a Context-Aware Data Leakage Protection Framework</h3>
Actions or users are not equally hazardous. A contemporary data leakage protection structure ought to be dynamic, comprehending, and adaptable, as well as change security controls progressively, grounded on real-time parameters which include: 
<ul>
<li>History of role and behavior of users 
</li>
<li>Network or location in geography 
</li>
<li>Patch status and device heath 
</li>
<li>Time of the day or working regime
</li>
</ul>
This smart risky method guarantees safe and flexible access to the right balance between security and productivity. 
<h3>5. Educate Your Team with Real-World Data Leakage Protection Examples</h3>
No matter how favorable tools are, human error still can corrupt them. Staff should be taught on a regular basis on the basis of examples that they can relate to in terms of data leakage protection and they can include:
<ul>
<li>One of the members of the staff mistakenly sent the client file through a personal email 
</li>
<li>Posting spreadsheets with financial information on a dropbox shared location 
</li>
<li>Becoming a victim in a phishing email allowing access to the internal systems
</li>
</ul>
Awareness training must be interactive, continuous and reinforced with real life situations to allow users to become familiar with the effects of their actions towards security.
<h3>6. Monitor Continuously and Automate Responses</h3>
An incident should be identified and contained through real-time monitored observation of data flow. With continuous monitoring security teams can:
<ul>
<li>Notice unusual activities and violations of policies real-time 
</li>
<li>Find the root and origin of data leaks 
</li>
<li>Here and now the damage must be curbed quick enough
</li>
</ul>
Further Data Leakage prevention solutions such as HawkShield provide automatic actions, which include barring data transmission, isolating endangered devices or alerting the security departments. Such automations conserve time and minimize the possibility of being supervised by a human in case of a possible breach.
<h2>Data Leakage Prevention Solution Spotlight: HawkShield</h2>
HawkShield has a next-gen data leakage control tool that is made to accommodate the dynamicities of modern remote and hybrid settings. 
Above is what makes HawkShield unique:
<ul>
<li>Behavior-Based Detection: Detects suspicious behavior amongst users, endpoints and cloud platforms. 
</li>
<li>Policy Enforcement Engine: Makes certain that data leakage prevention policy of yours is executed in real-time. 
</li>
<li>Remote Device Control: Enforce DLP measures even on personal or <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/BYOD-bring-your-own-device">BYOD devices</a>. 
</li>
<li>Flexible Deployment: On-prem, cloud, or hybrid; HawkShield adapts to your environment. 
</li>
<li>Integrated with Zero Trust: Combines access control with data monitoring to stop breaches before they happen.
</li>
</ul>
Coming to a data leakage prevention initiative or even upgrading the current controls in order to develop future-proof security against data exposure, HawkShield assists you to go there.
<h2>Securing Data in a Borderless World</h2>
Teleworking is a disruption in the way we work, yet it does not call to question the security of our operations. 
With the choice of the appropriate policies, tools, and technologies, the business will be able to enjoy the flexibility of remote work without letting in the expensive leaks. An effective data leakage protection strategy is not only a cybersecurity requirement. It enables a business. 
With HawkShield, you gain visibility, control, and peace of mind, no matter where your teams work.

Learn about 6 proven ways to secure your remote workforce from Data Leakage. Reduce human error while meeting regulatory compliance with AI powered Data leakage protection from HawkShield.

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