Sophos OEMs Get Tools For Integrating DLP

The Sophos SDK, introduced Wednesday, includes the company's DLP search engine, which scans e-mails, instant messaging and Web forms for data that should not be leaving the corporate network, based on pre-set policies. DLP can also lock down the printing of sensitive documents and the use of USB drives.

The software is meant to ensure compliance with policies set by legal departments or to comply with HIPAA and PCI standards. Sensitive documents attached to specific individuals can also be blocked, if they originate from an unknown source.

Sophos has added to the SDK its threat detection engine, which scans network traffic for malware. By adding this capability, the company is giving partners two scanners in one SDK, which means they won't need to pay a third party for a separate license for malware scanning, according to Sophos.

Combining security capabilities into a single product is a trend among security vendors. High-end DLP is typically sold as a physical or virtual appliance. Quoting numbers from market researcher IDC, Sophos claims the global DLP market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of more than 17 percent through 2015.

Last month, Sophos launched a new version of SafeGuard Enterprise, which added cloud storage security to the collection of modules for DLP and encryption on desktops, laptops and removable media. The product provides encryption of files uploaded to file-sharing services, such as Dropbox, Egnyte or Microsoft Skydrive.

Sophos is based in the U.K., with its U.S. headquarters in Boston.