What is the goal of data loss prevention (DLP)?

The primary goal of data loss prevention (DLP) is to ensure that sensitive data is not lost or misused. DLP strategies and technologies are designed to protect confidential and critical information from unauthorized access and potential breaches. This involves identifying and monitoring data at rest, in transit, and in use, to prevent data leaks, whether accidental or intentional. By implementing DLP measures, organizations can safeguard their intellectual property, personally identifiable information (PII), payment card information (PCI), and other sensitive data from exposure and exploitation.

In contrast, while data backups are valuable for recovery purposes, they do not specifically address the prevention of data misuse or loss. The creation of redundancy in data storage focuses on ensuring data availability and resilience but doesn't inherently protect against unauthorized access or loss of sensitive data. Similarly, improving recovery speed pertains to the efficiency of retrieving data after loss, which again does not involve preventing the loss or misuse of that data in the first place. Therefore, the focus of DLP is explicitly on the protection of sensitive information rather than these other aspects of data management.