{"id":1807,"date":"2022-05-03T11:00:45","date_gmt":"2022-05-03T08:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.endpointprotector.com\/blog\/?p=1807"},"modified":"2023-10-27T13:52:07","modified_gmt":"2023-10-27T10:52:07","slug":"keep-source-code-safe-with-dlp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.endpointprotector.com\/blog\/keep-source-code-safe-with-dlp\/","title":{"rendered":"Keeping Source Code Safe with Data Loss Prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"

The number one concern for companies when developing new software and algorithms is that they do the job they are meant to do and function efficiently. Cybersecurity features, when implemented, are intended to ensure customer data security and guard against malicious process hijacking attacks. Source code is often left out of these security considerations, and its importance as proprietary information is overlooked.\u00a0Data Loss Prevention (DLP)\u00a0tools<\/a> can help software developers combat source code leaks and theft by ensuring security policies that protect it are in place.<\/p>\n

Sensitive data is most often associated with\u00a0personally identifiable information<\/a>\u00a0(PII) or credit card numbers. These fall under the protection of data protection laws such as the EU\u00a0General Data Protection Regulation<\/a>\u00a0(GDPR) and whose leakage can cause financial loss and reputational damage. When it comes to source code, inevitably, some competitors might develop similar products, but there is a marked difference between them having to do the groundwork themselves and simply following a company\u2019s available code as their blueprint.<\/p>\n

There is also the risk of source code being used by cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities or embed malware into existing software. PDFs, for example, can now contain malware because Adobe Acrobat had its\u00a0source code stolen<\/a>\u00a0in 2013.<\/p>\n

In the case of algorithms, such as those often used by trading companies to exploit opportunities on the market as soon as they appear, these rely on companies\u2019 expertise and experience within their field and thus count as trade secrets.<\/p>\n

The Vulnerability of Source Code<\/h2>\n

The simplest way source code can be leaked is through employee theft or negligence.\u00a0Insider threats<\/a>\u00a0are at the heart of many data leaks: whether it is disgruntled employees feeling underappreciated or individuals leaving the company, they often have direct access to the source code and can easily transmit it, post it online, or copy it onto portable devices.<\/p>\n

Third-party contractors are also a notable vulnerability. In today\u2019s interconnected world, companies often rely on outside services to run or improve their software. By outsourcing projects, they trust other companies\u2019 security measures to ensure source code protection. At the same time, they have no way of monitoring and ensuring the enforcement of non-disclosure agreements.<\/p>\n

Many developers today incorporate open source software into their projects. Depending on the type of license used, this can mean that any software incorporating them must also adhere to open source policies. This means that, although companies are not obligated to post their source code publicly, they can be legally bound to provide it to individuals who request it.<\/p>\n

How Data Loss Prevention Can Help<\/h2>\n

Data Loss Prevention (DLP)<\/a>\u00a0tools can prevent data breaches and\u00a0data exfiltration<\/a>\u00a0through security controls that limit or block employees from copying source code into emails, transferring it via popular messaging apps, personal emails or file-sharing services, or uploading it to cloud storage services. They can also stop the copying of source code files onto removable devices such as USBs or external drives.<\/p>\n

Source code detection in DLP often uses complex libraries to identify programming languages in over a hundred file types. These require in-depth knowledge to accurately differentiate between various programming languages, leading to heavyweight databases. DLP solutions such as\u00a0Endpoint Protector\u00a0have taken source code detection to the next level by implementing\u00a0N-gram-based text categorization<\/a>, which greatly improves the accuracy rate of source code detection, as much as 98% in the case of some programming languages.<\/p>\n

By accurately identifying source code, DLP tools can more efficiently apply DLP policies created to manage, limit or block the transfer and use of source code in real-time.<\/p>\n

In conclusion<\/h2>\n

Source code protection is essential for organizations looking to keep their software secure and their trade secrets safe. In the age of endless exploits, companies\u2019 intellectual property often is as sought after as users\u2019 personal data. There are always competitors and copycats eager to pay big money to see it as well as cybercriminals ready to use that knowledge to build more efficient software attacks. Companies, therefore, cannot ignore its importance and vulnerability and must ensure that source code is given the same level of protection as all its other sensitive data.<\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The number one concern for companies when developing new software and algorithms is that they do the job they are meant to do and function efficiently. Cybersecurity features, when implemented, are intended to ensure customer data security and guard against malicious process hijacking attacks. Source code is often left out of these security considerations, and … <\/p>\n

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