eScan Launches First Enterprise DLP for WhatsApp to Prevent Data Leakage

eScan has announced a groundbreaking new feature in its Enterprise Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solution that addresses a critical gap in the protection of sensitive data shared via messaging applications. The new capability, which applies bi-directional clipboard and drag-and-drop control for messaging apps like WhatsApp and Viber, allows organisations to secure their data flow without sacrificing productivity or communication.

In an era where WhatsApp is widely used for business communication, especially in industries such as healthcare, finance, and legal services, protecting sensitive data from leakage while enabling efficient communication has been a major challenge. Traditional DLP solutions often adopt an all-or-nothing approach, blocking all forms of data sharing via these platforms. However, this can disrupt workflows and prevent employees from using these tools for legitimate business purposes.

“We were stuck between security and productivity,” said the CIO of a lead-generation company that piloted eScan's solution. “Our sales teams need WhatsApp to do their jobs, but we were leaking valuable customer data through the same channel. Traditional DLP solutions only offered an all-or-nothing approach, which wasn't practical for our business.”

eScan’s innovative approach addresses this dilemma by offering granular control over the direction of data flow in and out of messaging applications. The new DLP feature allows organisations to block sensitive data from being copied from internal systems to WhatsApp (outbound), while permitting the reverse flow (inbound) so employees can receive legitimate business data from external contacts via the same platform.

For example, sales teams can continue receiving customer leads through WhatsApp without the risk of sharing sensitive company data, such as proprietary lead information, back through the messaging app. At the same time, the technology also prevents internal data from circulating within WhatsApp itself, addressing potential risks like employees copying confidential information from one chat to another.

This new feature works seamlessly across both web-based and desktop versions of popular messaging platforms. It offers administrators full control to configure policies on a per-application basis, allowing organizations to selectively enable or disable the feature based on their unique security needs.

Protecting Sensitive Data Across Industries

The challenge of securing communication through messaging apps is not limited to sales teams. Legal firms dealing with client-privileged information, healthcare organizations managing patient data, and financial advisors working with sensitive investment portfolios all face similar concerns. WhatsApp’s ease of use and ubiquity across industries make it an attractive tool for business communication, but this widespread adoption also makes it a prime vector for data exfiltration.

A recent study revealed that about 25% of employees unknowingly share confidential company information through messaging apps. In one case, a healthcare professional inadvertently shared patient records via WhatsApp while discussing a case with a colleague, which led to regulatory penalties. In another incident, a financial consultant copied proprietary investment strategies from internal documents and pasted them into a WhatsApp conversation, exposing sensitive information to external parties.

eScan’s DLP solution aims to prevent these types of inadvertent breaches by offering real-time monitoring of data flow across messaging applications, allowing organisations to act swiftly if sensitive information is at risk.

Transparent and Non-Intrusive Security

What sets eScan's Enterprise DLP solution apart is its non-intrusive nature. Unlike traditional security solutions that disrupt user workflows, eScan’s system works transparently in the background. Employees can continue using messaging apps like WhatsApp for their daily tasks, with the system only intervening when it detects a violation of security policies.

Shweta Thakare, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at eScan, emphasized the importance of this approach: “What makes this solution particularly effective is that it doesn’t disrupt the user experience. Employees can continue using the messaging tools they prefer and need for their work. The system operates transparently in the background, only intervening when data flow violates policy. It's security that adapts to how people actually work, not security that forces people to work differently.”

The new DLP feature leverages sophisticated technologies to monitor and manage data flow, even in complex browser-based environments. With messaging apps like WhatsApp running within web browsers using tabbed interfaces, traditional DLP approaches have struggled to effectively monitor and control data flow. eScan’s solution addresses this by identifying the active browser tab, determining the URL being accessed, and applying appropriate controls in real time.

eScan’s Enterprise DLP solution is available immediately to enterprise customers across a range of industries, including government, defense, telecommunications, banking, financial services, healthcare, and education. The company’s solutions serve customers in over 90 countries, with a dedicated team of over 300 cybersecurity professionals in research and development.