Data Loss Prevention Gets SaaS-y

Proofpoint's own Paul LaPorte writes about how data loss prevention features can now be delivered in the cloud in a new article appearing on TechNewsWorld today:

Technology News: Security: Emerging Market: Data Loss Prevention Gets SaaS-y.

This is a nice overview of the benefits of taking a SaaS approach to email security with an eye toward the benefits of SaaS for outbound email security, beyond simply using SaaS for spam and virus abatement. On the topic of why DLP and SaaS/cloud computing are just starting to converge, Paul says:

"Why have DLP and SaaS not crossed paths before? In a word, fear.

Previously, there was a perceived lack of security, control, trust and knowledge. The widely held belief that a company had to physically stop sensitive data within corporate walls prevented most people from even considering a hosted DLP offering. Correspondingly, there were no real hosted solutions available. Security and compliance executives did not have the basis or context for understanding security issues in the cloud, because cloud computing was a relatively new concept and rapidly evolving. Time and experience had not yet afforded a comfort level with the types and quality of security and encryption that connected a corporate network with a SaaS vendor. Accordingly, there was a general lack of trust in SaaS, as no one wanted to bet their job on being an early adopter with such a sensitive and highly visible business function."

Read the entire story here: Data Loss Prevention Gets SaaS-y