Data protection grows more critical every day as our sensitive information faces increasing scrutiny from regulators and business partners. It's no longer just a matter of keeping the bad guys away from data. Businesses now are expected to handle it responsibly, often in accordance with contractual or legal requirements. Yet the average organization typically has little idea of where its sensitive data is, never mind how it's really being used.

Over the past five years, a new category of tools emerged to address this problem. Data loss prevention (DLP) products help companies understand where their sensitive data is located, where it's going, how it's being used, and can sometimes enforce protective policies. The technology may not always stop evil hackers, but it offers considerable help in protecting a business from internal mistakes and in cost-effectively managing compliance.