Vontu adds end-point discovery of sensitive data and prevention of unauthorized copying to its namesake data-loss prevention software
Vontu on Monday announced an upgrade to its data-loss prevention software that features agent-based discovery of sensitive data stored at a company’s endpoints, and also prevents unauthorized copying of that information.
Slated for availability at the end of December, Vontu DLP 8 features Vontu Endpoint Discover, a software agent that scans PC and laptop hard disks for sensitive data and identifies it as such. It includes Vontu Endpoint Prevent that blocks users from copying confidential data to removable storage devices and through other means, according to Maureen Kelly, director of product marketing at Vontu.
While many data-loss prevention and endpoint-security products can block employees from copying sensitive data onto devices without approval, a company has to first know that the confidential information is out there, she says. Vontu Endpoint Discover features deep-content inspection that examines the data to determine whether it is sensitive and then protects it accordingly, Kelly says.
The new endpoint components include on-screen employee notification and justification, so that a user is alerted upon attempting to copy sensitive information that the action is against company policy, and is prompted to enter a justification for the action. That justification is logged with the action so that administrators can evaluate policies and user education, she says.
“The ultimate goal of data-loss prevention is to change employee behavior,” Kelly says.
The previous version of Vontu DLP could monitor endpoints, but discovering sensitive data stored on PCs and laptops and preventing it from being copied is new to this release, Kelly says. Vontu has expanded its protection of sensitive data to prevent such information from leaving the company via Web mail, instant messaging, peer-to-peer software and hiding in encryption.
The new endpoint products work with Vontu’s Enforce policy management, notification and compliance-reporting product.
Vontu DLP 8 will be priced starting at $25,000.