Email DLP: Everything You Need to Know
KnowBe4, Friday, March 13th, 2026
- What is Email Data Loss Prevention (DLP)? - Traditionally, email data loss prevention software has used static rules to stop users from emailing sensitive or confidential data. Specifically, email DLP protects organizations from accidentally exposing sensitive data such as bank account numbers, passwords, credit card numbers, intellectual property, or trade secrets.
Email DLP has played an important role in organizations' email security strategies. Since email is the most common form of corporate communication, it is statistically the most likely way an employee can expose sensitive information, whether by accident, neglect, or malicious intent. Email DLP can be used to help eliminate human error, which is rampant in email usage. (Just think: How many times have you hit reply-all by accident or sent the wrong attachment?) Especially for organizations that are subject to compliance audits, email DLP has been a critical security component.