How does DLP prevent accidental uploads of sensitive data to public repositories?

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) systems prevent accidental uploads of sensitive data to public repositories by scanning files being transferred and comparing them to predefined security policies. These policies include rules that specify what kind of data should be blocked or flagged, such as personally identifiable information, credit card numbers, or confidential documents.

When a file transfer is initiated, the DLP system inspects the content in real-time and compares it against the established policies. If sensitive data is detected, the system can either block the transfer entirely, notify the user or administrator, encrypt the data, or apply other configured actions to prevent unauthorized data exposure. This way, DLP helps organizations protect their sensitive information from being shared or leaked to unintended destinations.

In summary, DLP prevents accidental uploads of sensitive data to public repositories by actively scanning files during transfer, applying predefined security rules, and taking actions to stop or manage the transfer if policy violations are detected.