Data detection and protection policies for e-mail

A method for implementing a data loss prevention (DLP) policy from a DLP policy template, the DLP policy implemented for at least first and second electronic file systems, each of the first and second electronic file systems comprising a file server and an associated application, and each of the first and second electronic file systems configured to communicate with a set of clients, the method comprising:

• identifying a set of DLP policy template objects, from the DLP policy template, that define characteristics of the DLP policy and include associated property fields, wherein the DLP policy template is generic to the first and second electronic file systems, and wherein the set of DLP policy template objects comprises a main DLP policy object configured to track shared metadata and state;
• implementing a set of local contextual processing modules, wherein implementing the set of local contextual processing modules comprises aggregating audit data from each of the first and second electronic file systems;
• said set of local contextual processing modules further comprising one of a group, said group comprising:
• contextual policy evaluation, contextual policy enforcement, contextual policy presentation and contextual audit data generation;
• implementing the main DLP policy object based on the set of DLP policy template objects;
• and
• for each particular electronic file system of the first and second electronic file systems,
• identifying a set of policy rule objects specific to the particular electronic file system by parameterizing the property fields based on characteristics of the particular electronic file system, each policy rule object in the set of policy rule objects defining match condition and actions derivable from the main DLP policy object;
• and
• implementing a set of data classification rule objects, said data classification rule objects defining a set of electronic data in the particular electronic file system upon which the set of policy rule objects are applied.