Businesses in the Middle East must look closely at the dangers and costs of data loss on their bottom line, said en expert.

Certain industry sectors across the region have already started to seriously consider and take action when it comes to adopting endpoint security solutions, said Alexei Lesnykh, business development manager, DeviceLock, a worldwide leader in endpoint data leak prevention software solutions.

“Businesses need to comply with their corporate IT security policies, state regulations, and industry standards in the field of information security as this is one of the most effective ways to ensure their valuable corporate data is protected and their business and legal risks related to data security are properly managed,” said Lesnykh.

Companies need to protect their sensitive, confidential data from being uncontrollably leaked from corporate endpoint computers including desktops, laptops, and servers, he added.

The data may leak as a result of removable memory devices get lost or stolen. Sensitive data could get out of the company’s control when users print documents to locally attached rogue printers, as well as when they connect personal smartphones or PDAs to the company’s network and synchronize data over these connections.

To protect themselves against data breaches at corporate computers, businesses need to seriously look into implementing an effective endpoint data leak prevention (DLP) solution across the corporate IT environment, Lesnykh said.

“It is estimated that in the Middle East, besides impact on brand value, the revenue of the organisation is affected between 20 and 25 per cent due to negligence and in 80 per cent of the cases because of lack of data loss prevention polices," said Khazi Mohamed Akram, general manager of RAS Infotech, DeviceLock’s distributor for Mena & Indian subcontinent.

Another endpoint leakage channel is the misuse of mobile applications (like email and IM) caused by end user’s negligence, accidental mistakes, simple curiosity, or deliberate actions.

In addition, malware may infect endpoint computers when unidentified data are downloaded from removable memory-enabled devices like USB sticks.

“Over the last 3 years, we experienced an increase in demand for DeviceLock’s data loss protection solutions - 40 per cent growth rate year on year in the ME region,” continued Akram.

“The demand had been mainly from government and financial sectors as they became increasingly aware of the need to have such systems in place to protect their valuable data.”

DeviceLock solutions give administrators the ability to control which types of data are allowed to be synchronized between corporate computers and locally connected iPads, iPhones and iPods as well as USB devices, a statement said.

DeviceLock solutions also increase employee’s discipline with regard to the use of corporate data on endpoint computers and their transfers through input/output ports and peripherals, according to the statement. – TradeArabia News Service