Data loss prevention solutions provide quick and accurate insight into data on stolen or missing laptops by automatically scanning e-mail archives and disk backup files to accurately identify confidential data based on data security policies. You should be able to gain insight into:

• What specific intellectual property (e.g., source code, design documents, etc.) was on the laptop, and was it encrypted or unencrypted? This determines what level of action may be required.
• How many individual customer records were on the laptop? Depending on whether there are 70, 7,000 or 700,000 records, entirely different courses of action will be required.
• What specific data types (e.g., Social Security numbers, credit information, etc.) were exposed? The answer will determine whether federal or state regulations may have been violated and if notification may be required.
• Was the data encrypted? This is a key factor in determining potential risk. It is important to note that some state regulations require that you notify customers even if the data was encrypted.

If you are struggling with this problem, you are not alone. Every large organization faces this challenge today. The good news is that data loss prevention is quickly becoming a strategic component in enterprise security, helping companies prepare and respond, and ultimately minimize the risk of exposure to due a laptop theft or loss.

Joseph Ansanelli, CEO of Vontu, Inc., is a well-known expert in the data security field who has testified before the U.S. Congress on pending legislation to protect consumer data.