Acronis Data Loss Prevention - Detailed Review

Acronis Data Loss Prevention (DLP)

Acronis Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is a comprehensive solution integrated into the Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud platform, offering several key features and functionalities to protect sensitive data. Here’s a detailed look at how each function works and its benefits, including the role of AI.

Data Protection States

Acronis DLP protects data in three fundamental states: data in use, data in motion, and data at rest.

Data in Use (DIU)

This feature controls data access and transfer operations on endpoint computers, including peripherals, applications, and storage devices. It monitors activities such as clipboard usage, printing, and screenshot captures to prevent unauthorized data access or transfer.

Data in Motion (DIM)

DLP prevents data leakage through network communications, such as email, webmail, instant messaging, social media, cloud-based file sharing, and various protocols like HTTP(S), FTP(S), and SMB. This ensures that sensitive data is not leaked during transmission.

Data at Rest (DAR)

This feature discovers and protects exposed confidential content stored on corporate IT assets, including file shares, NAS, endpoint file systems, databases, and cloud-based storage. If unprotected data is found, DAR DLP can initiate remediation actions to prevent unauthorized access and exfiltration.

Policy Creation and Enforcement

Acronis DLP streamlines the process of creating and enforcing data protection policies.

Automatic Policy Creation

The system observes end-user behavior over a period (typically one to two months) to automatically generate an initial DLP policy. This policy is presented in an easy-to-understand graphical format for validation by clients.

Validation and Enforcement

Clients can validate the policy, ensuring it aligns with their business specifics. The policy can then be enforced in two modes: strict enforcement, which blocks any new data flows not matching approved ones, and adaptive enforcement, which allows new data flows through automated, user-assisted extensions of the policy.

AI Integration

AI plays a significant role in enhancing the functionality and efficiency of Acronis DLP.

Automated Incident Triage

While primarily discussed in the context of incident management, Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud’s AI capabilities extend to analyzing and assessing the severity of potential data loss incidents. This helps in prioritizing genuine threats and reducing false positives, ensuring swift and accurate responses.

Policy Extensions

AI assists in the adaptive enforcement mode by allowing new data flows that were not observed during the initial policy creation. This is done through automated, user-assisted extensions of the enforced policies, ensuring better business continuity without blocking legitimate data flows.

Visibility and Reporting

Acronis DLP provides enhanced visibility and reporting tools.

Visibility into Data Protection

The solution offers thorough visibility over data flows and user behavior, reducing the complexity of data protection. This visibility is crucial for enforcing data use and handling policies and complying with IT security standards and regulations.

Reporting Tools

Powerful built-in reporting tools help in cutting reporting times, making it easier to monitor and manage data protection activities. These tools provide clear insights into data protection status and any potential issues.

Compliance and Risk Reduction

Acronis DLP helps organizations comply with regulations and reduce information security risks.

Compliance

The solution enforces data use and handling policies that users cannot avoid, ensuring compliance with IT security standards and regulations. This is particularly important for industries like healthcare, finance, and government that handle sensitive information such as PII, PHI, or PCI data.

Risk Reduction

By preventing data leakage and misuse, Acronis DLP minimizes insider threats and reduces the risk of data breaches and cyber-attacks. This protects sensitive corporate information, such as trade secrets and financial data, from being compromised. In summary, Acronis Data Loss Prevention is a powerful tool that leverages AI and automated processes to protect sensitive data across various states, enforce compliance, and reduce security risks, making it an essential component for any organization handling sensitive information.