Data is one of your organization’s most valuable assets — and one of its biggest liabilities. Cybersecurity leaders estimate monthly exfiltration events have increased 28% since 2021. As organizations continue to collect more data, the frequency and cost of data exfiltration will only rise. Additionally, new SEC regulations now require companies to disclose material cybersecurity incidents they experience. These regulations are driving increased awareness and compliance obligations, ensuring that companies consistently and transparently report on their cybersecurity practices.

Data loss prevention (DLP) software mitigates these risks by catching and stopping data exfiltration. DLP tools protect against malicious and accidental data loss by tracking data movement, alerting security teams to high-risk events, and mitigating those risks.

Every tool offers something slightly different. Keep reading to learn about the top providers in the DLP space, and how to choose the one that’s right for your organization.

Must-have DLP features and capabilities

A DLP solution should help your security team work more efficiently to respond quickly and appropriately to potential threats. Look for these essential features in DLP software: 

• Data visibility: Your DLP solution should be able to monitor all of your organization’s data, regardless if it’s at rest or in transit, including devices, endpoints, cloud environments, etc. To effectively protect data you need to have a clear view on all the data that exists. Ideally, a DLP solution will have these discovery capabilities and user-friendly dashboards that provide a global view of all data movement.

• Prioritize risk based on context analysis: Context is key when monitoring data access and movement. A DLP should offer context that is quick and simple for analysts to understand to help prioritize risks that need immediate action. By providing multi-dimensional context related to a file, source, exfiltration destination, and user, a DLP solution can help your organization contextualize the risk of any activity. 

• Appropriate response: Flagging a threat is important, but a DLP solution should proactively initiate a fast, right-sized response based on the risk. Controls should include video-based policy reminders, endpoint and cloud prevention techniques, and integrations that support endpoint isolation, conditional access, and orchestration automation.

• Federal Protection and Compliance:  A DLP solution should have built-in functionality to help ensure your data protection practices are compliant with regulatory standards, including support for FedRAMP.  

Top data loss prevention software solutions

We’ve rounded up the best DLP solutions and highlighted the top performers in a few categories. For each, we’ll spin through the key features, pros, and cons.

Code42 Incydr

Code42 takes a modern approach to DLP by detecting and preventing unauthorized data movement across endpoints and cloud apps. Rather than relying on rigid policies and blocking-first controls, Code42 Incydr cuts through the noise of acceptable activity and focuses on surfacing risks you don’t know about to protect your most sensitive data. It provides automated response controls that adapt to the severity of each incident with pinpoint accuracy to correct user mistakes, investigate potential breaches, and prevent malicious activity.

Incydr is lightweight and easy to implement within your current tech stack, allowing your company to prioritize employee productivity without compromising on efficient security practices. Code42 also puts an emphasis on education, and so Incydr provides automated security education to improve employee behavior and create a workforce of security allies. 

With a new rule banning non-compete clauses from the FTC, protecting data is more important than ever. Employees can easily move to competitors and take proprietary data with them in the process. Code42 can help your organization identify leaks so that you can take preventative measures to stop them and remain compliant.

Features

• Organizations can customize user-friendly risk dashboards to identify data exposure, training gaps, and program performance, all in one place.
• Quick documentation simplifies collecting evidence on cases to share with key stakeholders like leadership, HR, and legal teams. 
• Automated response controls effectively identify and protect data by providing  an appropriate response to the user’s behavior – everything from security training to blocking.

Pros

• Code42 Incydr’s analytics-driven prioritization model eliminates the need for complex policy configuration, enabling it to detect risks out-of-the-box without any additional setup.
• Incydr is native to the cloud and easy to implement. Most analysis is done in the cloud, which results in no user impact.

Cons

• Code42 Incydr tracks data movement from clouds, endpoints, browsers, and applications. If you are not looking to consolidate endpoint DLP, CASB, and UEBA tools, Code42 may offer more capabilities than needed. 
• Code42’s approach to data classification isn’t traditional – it relies on contextual information to monitor and identify potential risks associated with data movement across the organization.

(Broadcom) Symantec

A more traditional option, Symantec offers DLP in two solution sets: DLP Core and DLP Cloud. DLP Core offers protection for endpoints and network locations and includes DLP for Endpoint. Its Cloud offering extends policies to cloud environments through CASB controls and DLP cloud connectors.

Features

• Symantec provides a single console where users can manage policies, respond to incidents, and generate reports. 
• Through DLP Core and Cloud, users can apply the same set of policies and workflows across storage locations and channels.

Pros

• Management from a central server makes administration easier. 
• Between its Core and Cloud solutions, Symantec provides comprehensive coverage for enterprise organizations with sprawling data storage.  

Cons

• Because Symantec has such a broad scope, deploying the solution can be time-consuming and might require a large security team to implement and manage. 
• Integrating Symantec with other systems in your stack might not be simple and may require additional support from Symantec or third-party providers. 

Microsoft Purview

Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention is a tool in the Microsoft Purview suite, which can be cost-effective for organizations already using Microsoft. With Microsoft Purview’s DLP policies, you can monitor and protect across Microsoft services, including Microsoft 365, Office, OneDrive, and other Microsoft products, with some coverage outside the Microsoft ecosystem.  

Features

• It provides multi-cloud protection both inside and outside the Microsoft cloud with a unified administration console. 
• Microsoft Purview provides the ability to explore user activity around accessing and using sensitive data thanks to its data governance capabilities.

Pros

• Microsoft Purview is an easy choice for organizations already within the Microsoft ecosystem because it can be added on and deployed. 
• Purview allows organizations to monitor their Microsoft suite . 

Cons

• Purview prioritizes monitoring other Microsoft products over non-Microsoft applications and software. For example, Purview has some support for third-party browsers like Chrome or Safari but considers Edge an “enlightened application.” 
• Similarly, Purview’s coverage is more comprehensive for PC than for Mac endpoints. 

CrowdStrike

CrowdStrike’s cloud-native Falcon platform offers a variety of endpoint detection and response (EDR) products. Falcon Data Protection comprises a unified agent and single console that provide real-time visibility into data movement across web, endpoints, USBs, browsers, and SaaS applications. 

Features

• CrowdStrike offers an AI-enabled assistant — Charlotte AI — that can help security analysts investigate threats, summarize threat intelligence, write queries, and suggest next steps. 
• CrowdStrike enhances security beyond EDR with cross-layered detection and response (XDR) and security information and event management (SIEM).

Pros

• Like Microsoft, if a company is already using CrowdStrike Falcon, it can be easy to add data protection on at time of contract renewal. 
• CrowdStrike works with and protects multiple operating systems including Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chrome. 

Cons

• CrowdStrike Data Protection takes a traditional approach to DLP, requiring that security teams create an extensive rules-based policy system for the system to work.
• Despite being a less expensive option, the offering is brand new and lacks capabilities. Some users describe suboptimal support from CrowdStrike than other providers for the DLP features. 

Forcepoint DLP

Forcepoint offers several products under its Forcepoint One platform, including DLP. Its solution includes four components: endpoint, cloud applications through CASB, sensitive data identification, and network monitoring. 

Features

• The use of AI and machine learning fingerprints both structured and unstructured data, enabling better categorization and application of policy controls across data types. 
• Forcepoint’s policy templates provide a framework for the major security and privacy policies for over 80 countries with over 1,700 classifiers and pre-built policies.

Pros

• Forcepoint ONE’s Security Service Edge (SSE) platform applies policies across web, cloud, and applications. 
• Policy configurations at the IP, user, or group basis allows restriction at the file level with custom overrides. 

Cons

• Forcepoint’s portfolio of solutions requires users to move between interfaces and products, a decentralized solution may increase the chance of risks going undetected.
• Forcepoint’s policy-based approach requires users to create a list of policies and can become overwhelming to manage.

Trellix DLP (formerly McAfee)

Trellix’s XDR-focused platform resulted from the merger of FireEye and McAfee Enterprise. Trellix’s DLP suite includes Discover, Endpoint, Monitor, Prevent, Drive Encryption, and File & Removable Media Protection. Trellix’s Complete Data Protection guards data across endpoints, email, cloud, and applications. 

Features

• Security teams can discover data on endpoints, networks, on-premises data stores, and cloud storage applications as well as on email and over web gateways. 
• Trellix can block risky actions like saving to USB drives, recording via screen capture, sending files to printers, and posting files to websites. 

Pros

• Trellix’s feature-rich DLP platform is a good choice for enterprises with on-premises and hybrid environments.  
• Trellix Complete Data Protection allows security teams to manage workflows and policies centrally through its ePolicy Orchestrator. 

Cons

• To get the full feature set, organizations must purchase multiple products. 
• Numerous third-party integrations are needed for data classification, orchestration, and incident response.  
• Despite using their tool, Trellix has had notorious insider breaches.

Digital Guardian

Digital Guardian is Fortra’s DLP solution. Digital Guardian is endpoint-focused and encompasses several products, including Endpoint DLP and Network DLP.  

Features

• Digital Guardian provides a variety of automations, from data discovery and data classification to policy workflows. 
• Digital Guardian’s pre-built policies reduce implementation and deployment time. Additionally, Digital Guardian can monitor and log all endpoint activity without defined policies. 

Pros

• Digital Guardian meets established expectations and requirements for traditional DLP vendors.
• Digital Guardian works well with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. 

Cons

• Digital Guardian does provide some level of visibility into cloud applications, but to receive full cloud visibility, organizations often need to use a cloud-focused DLP solution alongside Digital Guardian. 
• Multiple users reported high resource usage from Digital Guardian and that running the program substantially slowed systems and machines. 

Proofpoint Enterprise DLP

Proofpoint offers a variety of DLP solutions for email, cloud, and endpoints through its Enterprise DLP platform, including Endpoint and Email DLP products.  

Features

• Proofpoint’s Sigma cloud-native console monitors user activity, analyzes content, provides screen capture, and generates alerts. 
• Proofpoint offers a unified incident and investigations interface. 

Pros

• A user-focused monitoring system works well in organizations with high email use and that are interested in a policy-focused solution. 
• Granular visibility into users’ interactions with risky or sensitive data adds context to threats and investigations. 

Cons

• Proofpoint’s reliance on blocking to protect data can incentivize employees to go rogue and try to work around security controls. 
• Monitoring techniques can feel intrusive and like constant surveillance on employees. 

Zscaler DLP

Zscaler is a cloud-based SSE company. Zscaler’s DLP product is a cloud platform that inspects internet and SSL traffic and operates via the network layer.

Features

• Zscaler prevents users from uploading sensitive information to the cloud, across endpoints, and through email. 
• Zscaler is part of the Zero Trust Exchange: its approach to DLP is zero-trust network access (ZTNA), which assumes that all users and devices are potential threats, which can add an extra layer of security by authenticating every request as if it’s coming from an open network. 

Pros

• Zscaler does not require any on-premises deployment or hardware, making it scalable. 
• Zscaler’s emphasis on the SSE framework provides an emphasis on monitoring behaviors as employees move across devices and to different geographic locations, which is beneficial for organizations with distributed teams. 

Cons

• Zscaler’s service relies on internet connection, and some users have reported lags. 
• Many users have complained about Zscaler’s auditing capabilities. Zscaler’s reports are not as detailed as other providers’, so organizations that really need in-depth logs might struggle with Zscaler’s auditing. 

DTEX

DTEX Systems is an IRM-focused company with a zero trust approach. Its InTERCEPT product is a cloud-native platform that highlights unusual user behaviors to guard against data and IP loss. 

Features

• InTERCEPT uses DTEX’s proprietary DMAP+ technology to continually capture and analyze endpoint metadata, so organizations don’t need to establish many rules to monitor suspicious behavior. 
• DTEX’s file lineage creates an audit history around data loss events, including users and time stamps for file creation, modification, aggregation, encryption, and deletion. 

Pros

• DTEX has blocking capabilities, including blocking access to FTPs and sending large email attachments. InTERCEPT also provides the ability to remove a user’s credentials or lock users out of their devices.  
• InTERCEPT is lightweight, and collects about 5 MB of data for each user daily. 

Cons

• DTEX is not FedRAMP-certified. 
• DTEX doesn’t prioritize a range of response options that meet the severity of an incident, the tool blocks risky behavior but it doesn’t pair blocking action with education. Because of this, users don’t learn what made the action unsecure, and sometimes, legitimate activity is blocked. 

Cyberhaven

Cyberhaven’s Data Detection and Response combines insider risk management, data loss prevention, and cloud security. It includes both cloud DLP and endpoint DLP.

Features

• Using file classification and event monitoring, Cyberhaven automatically logs and intervenes when a user tries to download or email files with sensitive data or from sensitive sources.
• Cyberhaven’s open APIs for incidents and endpoint sensor status simplify integrations with other enterprise tools. 

Pros

• Through data lineage, Cyberhaven tracks the flow of data, so employees don’t need to manually tag and monitor every file. This lineage tracks who or what created the data, who has handled it, and who has modified it.
• Beyond identifying and classifying data, Cyberhaven’s tool logs a variety of activities like downloads and shares, converting files to other formats, compressing into ZIP files, and sending via AirDrop. 

Cons

• Cyberhaven’s process is policy-focused, so users must create and maintain policies to govern their data protection. 
• A block-first approach limits collaboration and drives users to find workarounds, and their collection of data often creates a “data lake” without the ability to sort through risk in an automated way.

Varonis

Varonis’s data security platform offers data discovery and classification, cloud DLP, policy automation, and email security. 

Features

• Security teams can automate common processes like revoking access, enforcing least privilege, and disabling apps. 
• Varonis describes its Athena AI as an “AI SOC analyst.” It can assist investigations through natural language search. 

Pros

• Real-time data monitoring and detailed reporting for access and usage. The resulting normalized records create a detailed, searchable paper trail. 
• Teams can respond quickly to potential incidents with real-time alerting. 

Cons

• Varonis’s response and control capabilities are very limited.
• Varonis doesn’t provide great visibility into shadow IT. 

A variety of DLP software solutions are available to help your organization with risk management, compliance, and data protection. Depending on your organization’s needs, you may lean toward one solution over another. For example, if federal compliance is a must for your organization, you’ll want to explore a FedRAMP-certified solution like Code42 Incydr Gov. 

Most importantly, coverage is crucial — you want a tool that protects both the cloud and endpoints. A tool like Netskope, for example, which is simply a CASB rather than a DLP, does not offer a full solution because it doesn’t protect endpoints.

As your organization evaluates DLP providers, keep an eye out for a solution that relies on context and right-sized responses, like Code42 Incydr. Learn more about how Incydr can see and stop data loss to protect your organization. 

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The post The 12 Best Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Software of 2024 appeared first on Code42.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Code42 authored by Beth Miller. Read the original post at: https://www.code42.com/blog/dlp-tools-compared/