What does data loss prevention (DLP) focus on in an organization?

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is primarily concerned with preventing unauthorized access to sensitive data. This includes protecting data from being lost, misused, or accessed by individuals who do not have the proper permissions. DLP solutions are designed to identify, monitor, and protect sensitive information—such as personal identification information, credit card numbers, intellectual property, and other confidential details—by enforcing policies that ensure only authorized users can access this data.

By implementing effective DLP strategies, organizations can safeguard their sensitive data from internal threats (e.g., employees inadvertently sharing information) and external threats (e.g., hackers trying to breach security measures). This focus on prevention helps to mitigate the risks associated with data breaches, which can lead to financial loss, damage to reputation, and potential legal ramifications.

The other choices highlight aspects that are important in an organization—such as data availability, hardware performance, and storage capacity—but they do not directly align with the specific objectives of DLP, which is predominantly about safeguarding sensitive information from unauthorized access.