Sensitive business data can end up in all sorts of places that IT teams may not even be aware of. Customer data is stored in cloud databases, files are shared via SaaS applications, and copies of sensitive documents often remain accessible long after they were required.
For the security team, this creates two problems. They need to know where the sensitive data is and if it is exposed. They must also be able to control how this data is used and shared across the organization.
Data Security Position Management (DSPM) and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) take a different approach to meeting these requirements. DSPM looks at the data to identify what it is and what the exposure risks are. DLP, on the other hand, is about enforcing policies to prevent data from being used, shared, or transferred in an unauthorized manner.
What is DSPM?
DSPM is a data-centric cybersecurity technology that works across cloud storage and databases, hybrid environments and SaaS apps to discover, classify and assess sensitive information about the IT environment. It looks at access controls, storage configurations and potential exposure pathways to identify where the risks are.
Think of a cloud storage repository that may have been set up for a particular department. The permissions on that repository can now be such that a much wider group of employees can access it. This type of exposure would be flagged by a DSPM solution so the IT admin could review it and grant permissions.
This is useful for finding orphaned repositories, redundant data copies and misconfigured storage. The level of visibility DSPM provides is also of tremendous value when it comes to data governance and compliance.
Read more: What is DSPM?
What is DLP?
DLP is a core component of data security that includes a range of technologies and strategies to help identify, monitor and protect sensitive information from unauthorized access, exfiltration or exposure. It allows security teams to control how data is used and shared.
DLP solutions look at the data against rules that the organization has defined. The controls can be applied to data at rest on employee devices, data in use within applications, and data in transit via email, web uploads and cloud services, depending on the deployment.
Suppose an employee tries to send a spreadsheet with customer payment details to a personal email account. DLP can detect the sensitive data and either block the transfer, generate an alert or require some form of additional authorization in accordance with the policy.
This allows organizations to impose restrictions on how confidential information is handled (eg financial records, personal information, IP).
What are the key differences between DSPM and DLP?
The biggest practical difference between DSPM and DLP is how they deal with potential data security issues.
DSPM looks at the conditions that lead to sensitive information being exposed (eg inappropriate access rights, storage that is publicly accessible). DLP looks at actual data handling activities and can take action if an unauthorized transfer is attempted.
Their responsibilities also differ in other areas:
| Comparison factor | DSPM | DLP |
|---|---|---|
| Primary target | Identify sensitive data and assess its exposure | Prevent unauthorized access, sharing and transfer of sensitive data |
| Data discovery | Find and classify data across supported repositories | Identify sensitive content within monitored locations and channels |
| Safety approach | Assess exposure risks and security posture | Detect policy violations and enforce data handling restrictions |
| Access permissions | Identifies excessive access and potentially exposed data sets | Control data handling activities based on configured policies |
| monitoring | Examine saved data, permissions and configurations | Monitor data at rest, in use or in transit, depending on the deployment |
| Answering skills | Flags risks and can support remediation | Can warn, block, quarantine or report policy violations |
| detachment | Commonly used API integrations and repository scanning | Use endpoint agents, network controls and cloud integrations |
| Compliance support | Helps locate regulated data and assess its protection | Enforce restrictions on how regulated information is handled |
| Main limitation | Limited standalone control over active data transfers | Visibility depends on policy and monitored environment |
Both DSPM and DLP can be used to classify sensitive information and support compliance. There may be some overlap in their capabilities depending on the product, but the difference between assessing exposure and enforcing data handling policies is an important one.
Also read: DSPM vs CSPM
DSPM vs DLP: Which one does your organization actually need?
The choice between DSPM and DLP comes down to which of the data security gaps an organization tries to address first.
If an organization is struggling to get a handle on its data load, then DSPM may be the right solution. If, on the other hand, the organization is looking to get a much stronger handle on the active data handling activities, then DLP would be the preferred approach.
When to choose DSPM
DSPM is particularly relevant in the following situations:
- Manage data across multiple cloud environments: Build an inventory of the sensitive information stored on the various cloud services and repositories.
- Check access rights: Identifying employees, contractors or service accounts with access to sensitive information they do not need.
- Find shadow data: Identify sensitive information copied and forgotten databases, personal workspaces and other storage locations that are not officially sanctioned.
- Supported compliance assessments: Establish where the regulated information is and whether the storage and access controls on that information meet the organization’s data security requirements.
DSPM can also be used to help organizations assess the information available for AI-powered applications. Where such applications pull content from existing business repositories, there is a risk of excessive permissions exposing sensitive data to the wrong users. Checking these permissions before expanding access is one way to reduce this risk.
If you choose DLP
DLP is useful when you want to restrict certain data handling activities.
Common use cases of DLP include:
- Preventing unauthorized file transfers: Look for attempts to share sensitive information in outgoing emails, web uploads and other monitored channels.
- Protection of information on employee devices: Restrict activities such as copying sensitive files to removable media, printing protected documents, and transferring data via prohibited applications.
- Reduction of accidental data leakage: Warn staff or block the action if a confidential document is sent to an incorrect recipient or personal cloud account.
- Enforcement of data handling requirements: Apply restrictions on the transfer of regulated or sensitive information via supported applications and communication channels.
DLP is especially useful in the scenario where you want to enforce data protection policies consistently across the range of devices and applications an employee uses every day. The extent to which this coverage is effective will of course come down to whether the relevant data activities are truly visible to the DLP solution and its ability to deploy policies across these environments.
Why should you implement DSPM and DLP together?
Organizations should consider using a DSPM solution in conjunction with DLP software if they require visibility into the exposure of sensitive data as well as control over how that data is moved.
When used in combination, DSPM and DLP help an organization manage the risks associated with stored data and data in transit. They also help the security team make better decisions about what data should be protected and how that protection should be applied.
Choose the right approach to data security
Choosing between DSPM and DLP depends on understanding where your data protection efforts currently fall short.
Organizations with very limited visibility into sensitive data and its exposure risks may need a DSPM solution first. Those who want to restrict unauthorized data movement and implement customized data handling policies will likely find a DLP solution more relevant.
For businesses in a similar position, combining DSPM data discovery with the targeted policy enforcement of DLP can help create a more cohesive approach to sensitive data protection.