Dallas, Texas – Dallas Independent School District (ISD) is taking a significant step forward in strengthening the cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive data within its network. This initiative underscores the district’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all team members and students, not just in physical spaces but also in the increasingly important realm of cyberspace.
New Data Loss Prevention Solution
The district is in the process of launching a Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solution districtwide. The primary purpose of this tool is to safeguard critical sensitive data, including student information, private health information, and Personally Identifiable Information (PII). These types of data are ubiquitous within the district’s network, and protecting them from unauthorized exposure is paramount.
The DLP agent, which will be operational on team members’ computers, is designed to monitor the use and transmission of this sensitive and protected data. The district has clearly outlined the definition of sensitive information in its regulations and has included this information in the annual compliance videos. This clarity is crucial for ensuring that all team members understand what constitutes sensitive data and the importance of handling it with care.
How the DLP Works
An important aspect of the DLP tool is its ability to identify potential risks of unauthorized data exposure. Team members who handle sensitive data may encounter prompts during their daily activities. These prompts will occur if there is a potential risk associated with the action being performed, such as sending sensitive data through email, web-forms, cloud storage, messaging apps, or social media sites.
It’s important to note that receiving a prompt does not imply wrongdoing or unauthorized action. Instead, it signifies that the DLP is flagging the activity and creating a record of it. This record includes details of the action, the data involved, and the reason for the prompt. This information is then reviewed by the district’s Information Security team.
The Information Security team is actively working to refine the DLP’s functionality. Their goal is to minimize instances where non-sensitive data is flagged erroneously and to reduce unnecessary prompts for data uses and transmissions that adhere to the district’s secure standard procedures.
