Real-World DLP Implementation Stories
Learn from actual DLP implementations across various Sri Lankan organizations. These case studies demonstrate how enterprises successfully deployed Data Loss Prevention solutions while ensuring PDPA compliance.
Note
Company names and specific details have been anonymized to protect confidentiality while preserving key learnings.
Case Study 1: Large Financial Institution
Banking & Finance | 2,500+ employees | Colombo
Industry
Banking & Financial Services
Timeline
6 months implementation
Investment
Medium-scale deployment
Challenge
The institution needed to protect customer financial data, including bank account numbers, credit card information, and NIC numbers. With PDPA enforcement approaching, they required a comprehensive DLP solution to prevent data leakage through email, USB drives, and cloud storage services.
Solution
- Implemented network DLP to monitor email and web traffic
- Deployed endpoint DLP on 2,500+ workstations
- Created custom data patterns for Sri Lankan NIC numbers (old and new formats)
- Configured policies to detect and block unauthorized transmission of:
- Bank account numbers (10-16 digits)
- Credit card numbers (PAN detection)
- National Identity Card numbers
- Customer personal information
- Established incident response workflow for policy violations
Results
In unauthorized data transfers within 3 months
With PDPA data protection requirements
Detected and blocked in first quarter
2,500 employees educated on data protection
Key Takeaway
Using Sri Lankan-specific data patterns was crucial for accurate detection. The OpenDLP-LK regex patterns for NIC numbers helped us achieve 98% accuracy in identifying sensitive data.
Case Study 2: Private Healthcare Network
Healthcare | 1,200+ employees | Multi-location
Industry
Healthcare Services
Timeline
4 months implementation
Investment
Small to medium scale
Challenge
A network of private hospitals needed to protect patient health records, NIC numbers, and medical insurance information across multiple locations. They faced challenges with doctors and staff sharing patient data via personal email and messaging apps.
Solution
- Deployed cloud-based DLP solution for multi-location coverage
- Implemented email DLP with medical data classification
- Created policies for patient data protection including:
- Patient NIC numbers
- Medical record numbers
- Insurance policy numbers
- Lab test results and diagnoses
- Integrated with Hospital Information System (HIS)
- Deployed mobile device management for BYOD policy
- Conducted staff awareness training on PDPA compliance
Results
In unauthorized patient data sharing
No patient data breaches since deployment
Full compliance with healthcare regulations
Complete visibility into data access and transfers
Key Takeaway
Cloud-based DLP was essential for our multi-location setup. The ability to centrally manage policies across all hospitals while maintaining local compliance was a game-changer.
Case Study 3: Telecommunications Provider
Telecommunications | 3,000+ employees | National coverage
Industry
Telecommunications
Timeline
8 months implementation
Investment
Large-scale enterprise
Challenge
As a major telecom operator, the company held vast amounts of customer data including mobile numbers, NIC details, billing information, and usage patterns. They needed enterprise-wide DLP to protect this data across call centers, retail locations, and corporate offices.
Solution
- Enterprise DLP deployment covering network, endpoint, and cloud
- Integrated with existing CRM and billing systems
- Custom patterns for:
- Sri Lankan mobile numbers (07X format)
- Customer NIC numbers (both formats)
- Billing account numbers
- IMEI/IMSI numbers
- Email monitoring and filtering
- USB and removable media controls
- Web upload prevention for sensitive data
- Comprehensive employee training program
Results
Of all endpoints and network egress points
Blocked per month on average
Met TRCSL and PDPA requirements
Within 18 months through breach prevention
Key Takeaway
The phased rollout approach was critical. We started with network DLP, then endpoints, and finally cloud services. This allowed us to fine-tune policies and minimize false positives at each stage.
Case Study 4: E-commerce Platform
E-commerce & Retail | 800+ employees | Online
Industry
E-commerce & Retail
Timeline
3 months implementation
Investment
Small-scale focused deployment
Challenge
A rapidly growing e-commerce platform needed to protect customer payment information, delivery addresses containing NIC numbers, and purchase history data. With customer trust being paramount, they needed robust DLP before PDPA enforcement.
Solution
- Cloud-native DLP integrated with AWS infrastructure
- Database activity monitoring for customer data access
- API-level data protection for mobile apps
- Protection for:
- Credit/debit card information (PCI-DSS)
- Customer NIC numbers
- Mobile phone numbers
- Delivery addresses
- Email DLP for customer service team
- Encryption for data at rest and in transit
Results
Achieved payment card industry compliance
In customer trust metrics post-deployment
No customer data breaches reported
Marketing advantage with PDPA compliance
Key Takeaway
Starting DLP implementation early gave us a competitive advantage. We could market our PDPA compliance to customers, which significantly improved trust and conversion rates.
Common Success Factors
Key elements that contributed to successful DLP implementations:
Executive Support
Strong leadership backing ensured adequate resources and organization-wide adoption
User Training
Comprehensive staff education on data protection and PDPA requirements
Phased Rollout
Gradual implementation allowed for policy tuning and minimized disruption
Continuous Monitoring
Regular review and refinement of policies based on incident patterns
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