Trend Micro Moves to Educate Users on Data Leaks

By Greg McNevin

December 5, 2007: In a timely announcement following the recent spate of high profile data loss incidents, Trend Micro has rolled out its first data leak prevention solution.

According to Trend Micro, LeakProof 3.0 takes a different approach to preventing data leaks and security threats, namely by educating and interacting with endpoint users.

Obtained through its acquisition of Provilla, LeakProof addresses what is generally the weakest link in any security system, turning employees into security assets alongside automated software and hardware solutions.

The software enables IT managers to define content-sensitive dialog boxes that appear directly onto an employee's computer screen. Trend Micro says these alert boxes educate employees on the appropriate handling of confidential information, raise awareness of security issues and enlist their support in preventing data from “walking out of the door.”

This “danger alert “dialog box can be customised by administrators to specify particular steps employees can take to adhere to company policies when a potential security violation occurs.

“Companies need to have an offensive strategy when it comes to preventing security threats and data leaks. Security products are effective, but companies need to get their employees involved on a daily basis,” said Glen Kosaka, director of marketing for Trend Micro’s data leak prevention business unit.

“People need to know how they might be compromising their company's data by the actions they take such as transferring files onto a USB drive to take out of the office. With LeakProof 3.0, enterprises can make data security a part of the company culture and get employees on their side in the battle to protect sensitive data.”

With a bit of luck this will catch on and do some good and not turn into another Microsoft Office paperclip assistant ignored by one and all.

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