A Seal Of Security: UAE-Based DataPatrol Is Offering A Unique Way To Secure Organizational Information And Data "At DataPatrol, we ensure the protection levels taken match the advancement happening with the digital era we are living in."

Most of us may have come across physical or online documents that have a massive seal overlay that reads "confidential." Often, such an occurrence evokes an almost immediate response to handle such a document with extra care. And it is precisely this idea that UAE- based cybersecurity software company DataPatrol has incorporated into its main (and most popular) data and information security solution: its Screen Watermark tool.

"Technically, we didn't choose Screen Watermark to be our main product; our clients did!" reveals Loay Hussain, Managing Director at DataPatrol. "They really like the concept and the value it offers them. You see, if you look at other information and data security solutions, right from data leakage prevention and data classification options, to data masking or digital rights management, they all tend to be very complicated, require extensive expertise in cybersecurity, are resources-intensive projects, and long-term commitment; yet, they fail to protect the digital screens! Digital screens, however, are used by every employee, whether on a laptop or desktop, from the office or from home, etc. Digital screens also show/present all types of data and information, and so, it is very critical to protect them. Therefore, we believe the only practical way to address this issue is by adding a layer of security on the screens by utilizing DataPatrol's dynamic Screen Watermark- a solution that works on the operating system (OS) level, and secures vulnerable screens all over a given organization, and thereby enhances the awareness internally about data exfiltration and protection."

Launched in 2021 in the UAE, DataPatrol also has branches in the US and Germany. Its comprehensive suite of services that provide security and privacy for business data assets include -besides its Screen Watermark tool- its Printing Watermark solution, Anticopy Solution, Print Screen (PRTSC) Prevention Solution, and ScreenDefender Solution. "At DataPatrol, we ensure the protection levels taken match the advancement happening with the digital era we are living in," Hussain adds. "For example, our feature for the print-outs is one where organizations can log in, and secure all printing jobs with no limitations on the source (type of file being printed), or destination (printer type). Additionally, we have the PRTSC prevention and logging, ScreenDefender, and AntiCopy features, where they all complete the aforementioned journey, and support organizations in fixing their data cybersecurity controls."

The DataPatrol team at this year's Tech Innovation Awards. Source: BNC Publishing

Now, while cybersecurity issues in the current business landscape are many and wide-ranging, Hussain notes that there is one specific threat that poses a bigger risk than any other. "I would say one of the biggest challenges in data security and privacy is the insider risk," he states. "This isn't just my opinion (although I fully agree with it), but according to recent studies, it confirms that one of the greatest concerns for security leaders is the increased risk of insider threats. I add to that also the challenge of keeping up with latest technologies and trends- not all data and information security professionals are capable of staying up to date with new solutions that have been developed to address new issues coming with the advancement in working from home, digital transformation, and paperless environments. Not because the security professionals don't read or attend the right events, but because they are already overwhelmed with work, new vendors try to complicate the story to increase the price, and they lack the professional qualified resources to help them address this."

Here, Loay adds that his enterprise's solutions have thus incorporated a certain ease of implementation to them in order to reduce the burden on cybersecurity teams in the UAE and beyond. "At DataPatrol, we try to spread awareness before trying to sell, always emphasizing the importance and value of data," he explains. "We believe in simplifying the difficult topics, and putting them into easy stories that the busy teams can understand and relate to. Thus, we strive to keep them all informed about recent incidents and technologies, expected risk coming out of these bottlenecks, and what would be the best most effective way to address it utilizing the latest technologies. More importantly, we can really help secure the screens and data in a very easy way, since our solution implementation doesn't take more than two hours, once the prerequisites are ready. We have a wide range of certified partners and distributors all over the region to support our clients in this as well. Our system integrates directly with operating systems such as Windows, Linux, or MacOS, so it doesn't require specific configuration or integration with the applications. We also don't have any dependencies from any other vendor, such as data loss prevention or data classification, so you can consider our DataPatrol solution as a one-time configuration solution! Which means, once configured, there's rarely a need for the administrators to change the configuration- and if they do need to, then it's very easy."

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Indeed, it is this simplified approach that has led to the company's Screen Watermark tool to have found much favor within the UAE business ecosystem. "Many other technologies are invented to protect the screens, but they are not practical nor efficient- you can't apply them organization-wide," Hussain notes. "Plus, some [already existing] inventions are offered by DataPatrol too- like the ScreenDefender feature, for example, which is a real-time image processing feature that detects whenever a camera is in front of the screen. But clients choose Screen Watermark as their favorite solution as it's practical, easy to implement, and a very effective solution adding this layer of security on the screens."

Loay Hussain, Managing Director, DataPatrol. Source: DataPatrol

As for how DataPatrol has come up with all these solutions, Hussain is quick to credit his team's efforts in this regard, saying, "Our product management invested a lot of time and effort on the user interface and user experience to make the overall experience the easiest." It therefore isn't very surprising when Hussain mentions that the DataPatrol team itself must be regarded as one of the company's biggest contributors to its success. "Since last year, we have doubled the size of our team," Hussain adds. "All of the team believe in the vision and mission of the company, and they are very excited about the growth journey and challenges we are facing. The team of DataPatrol has been selected carefully as the journey isn't easy- we are, after all, providing a new technology! But they are all up for it, and I consider building this team is one of our greatest achievements."

Indeed, it is this company culture that enticed Hussain himself to become a part of DataPatrol three years ago. "Having the passion for protecting people, data, and brands from today's advanced threats, I found at DataPatrol a solution for a pain most organizations are having, as well as a challenge in proposing a new technology to the overwhelmed cybersecurity teams," he says. "The combination of the pain and the challenge makes the story of DataPatrol a highly likable idea for all professionals in the field of information and data security." Hussain also adds that he and his team have found a deep sense of purpose through an increased interest in DataPatrol's services from across the UAE business landscape. "It feels great nowadays whenever we talk to a professional about vulnerable screens and data, and they immediately respond and ask for a demo for the DataPatrol solution," he says. "And that is because they understand the pain now, and they are looking for the next-generation information and data security solution to secure it. This wasn't the case when we started- there were no sales meetings then; there were only awareness meetings that I believe has largely led to our growth and success these days."

DataPatrol provides innovative and user-friendly solutions to secure sensitive and confidential internal data from unauthorized disclosure. Source: DataPatrol

So, what's next for DataPatrol? "We believe in logic and focus, and as such, we shall continue our journey in information and data security by enhancing our products offerings, while focusing on this area by finding the gaps, research- ing, and developing to provide the optimum solution to secure these gaps and offer a safer digital space for our clients," Hussain declares. "We shall keep simplifying things, and providing the most secure simple solutions to everyone, enhance our reach to secure more organizations, and spread the message about the importance and value of information and data protection. Finally, we aim to grow our team and our channel partners to support the expected growth in demand. We believe that in the next five years, every organization must have the Screen Watermark solution to protect their screens! Unless other, better technology is invented within those five years- which we are sure, if it happens, it is going to happen in the DataPatrol research and development department."

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