Compliance Threats, Email Security and Pragmatic Data Loss Prevention

Proofpoint's Andres Kohn and compliance expert Robert Duchouquette are quoted in a very interesting Search Security Channel article today by Neil Roiter. In "Compliance, Web Threats, Change Email Security Market, Opportunities," Neil explains that email security is -- and has been for some time -- about much more than blocking spam and viruses, explaining the compliance risks and web-based threats (blended threats) that are driving new email security opportunities.

In the article, Robert Duchouquette explains that, while large-scale data loss prevention (DLP) efforts have sometimes scared off customers because of the high costs and complexity of deployment, there's a great opportunity for companies to take a "DLP lite" or "pragmatic DLP" approach and focus on the most risky data loss channel -- which continues to be email.

That contention is backed up by Forrester's Chenxi Wang, who explains that "email is the biggest thing" especially for companies that are dealing with PCI (payment card industry) or HIPAA data protection requirements.

The article goes on to talk about the trend toward SaaS and hybrid email security deployments, a direction that Proofpoint advocates for companies of all sizes.

You can read the full article at Search Security Channel.

Coincidentally, we also just a great new Osterman Research whitepaper online that explains the new regulations (such as the enhanced HIPAA provisions in the economic stimulus bill [aka "ARRA"] and state privacy/encryption laws) that are making outbound email protection and email encryption a requirement for nearly any enterprise, regardless of industry or size. Register and download a free copy here:

• Osterman Research whitepaper: The Critical Need for Encrypted Email and File Transfer Solutions