Data Loss Prevention (DLP) has become a critical component of modern cybersecurity strategies as organizations face increasing threats to their sensitive information.
With the rise of remote work, cloud adoption, and increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks, protecting valuable data from unauthorized access or accidental exposure is more important than ever.
Here, we’ll explore the top DLP software solutions that can help safeguard your organization’s most critical assets:
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Proofpoint Enterprise DLP
Proofpoint offers a comprehensive DLP solution that protects sensitive data across email, cloud, and endpoint environments. Its advanced machine-learning capabilities enable accurate content classification and policy enforcement.Proofpoint offers a comprehensive DLP solution that protects sensitive data across email, cloud, and endpoint environments. Its advanced machine-learning capabilities enable accurate content classification and policy enforcement. Proofpoint’s DLP integrates seamlessly with its broader security ecosystem, providing holistic protection against insider threats and external attacks. Key features include real-time threat detection, automated incident response, and detailed forensics reporting.
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Microsoft Purview DLP
Microsoft’s DLP solution is part of its broader Purview suite, offering seamless integration with Microsoft 365 applications. It provides comprehensive data protection across cloud services, on-premises environments, and endpoints.Microsoft’s DLP solution is part of its broader Purview suite, offering seamless integration with Microsoft 365 applications. It provides comprehensive data protection across cloud services, on-premises environments, and endpoints. Purview DLP uses machine learning and pattern matching to identify and protect sensitive information, with features like policy tips for end-users and detailed activity reporting for administrators.
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Symantec DLP by Broadcom
Symantec DLP, now part of Broadcom, offers a robust solution for protecting sensitive data across cloud, on-premises, and endpoint environments.Symantec DLP, now part of Broadcom, offers a robust solution for protecting sensitive data across cloud, on-premises, and endpoint environments. It features advanced data discovery capabilities, optical character recognition for images, and machine learning-based classification. Symantec DLP also provides detailed incident reporting and remediation workflows to streamline responses to potential data breaches.
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Forcepoint DLP
Forcepoint’s DLP solution focuses on understanding user behavior to prevent data loss.Forcepoint’s DLP solution focuses on understanding user behavior to prevent data loss. It offers comprehensive visibility across on-premises and cloud environments, featuring automated policy management and incident risk ranking. Forcepoint DLP also includes advanced analytics to identify high-risk users and anomalous data movement patterns.
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SSE Providers (Zscaler, Netskope, and Palo Alto)
SSE providers offer multi-channel DLP protection covering endpoints, cloud/web, and email, with unified views into data movement.SSE providers offer multi-channel DLP protection covering endpoints, cloud/web, and email, with unified views into data movement. These solutions provide centralized policy management and data classification. Common features include integration with security ecosystems and support for real-time monitoring and incident reporting.
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Cyberhaven
Provides rich visibility into data movement across endpoints and cloud applications.Provides rich visibility into data movement across endpoints and cloud applications. Cyberhaven includes data lineage tracking and classification to monitor sensitive information throughout its lifecycle. Additional features include policy-based controls and detailed activity logs for compliance and investigation purposes.
Proofpoint DLP Software VS. The Competition
Proofpoint’s DLP platform stands out in the crowded marketplace as an industry-leading solution. But how does it compare to other top-performing DLP tools?
In this section, we’ll examine Proofpoint DLP alongside its key competitors. Here is a high-level overview of how Proofpoint compares to other leading DLP solutions, followed by an overview of each competitor’s platforms.
| Key Features | Proofpoint | Microsoft Purview | Symantec | Forcepoint | SSE Vendors | Cyberhaven |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endpoint DLP & Insider Risk |
Yes
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Yes
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Yes
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Yes
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Yes
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| In-Line Email DLP |
Yes
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Yes
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Yes
|
Yes
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Yes
|
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| Adaptive Email DLP/Misdirected Mail |
Yes
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| DSPM |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
| DLP for Unmanaged Devices via Remote Browser Isolation |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
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| Adaptive DLP Policies |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
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| Account Takeover Visibility via Email Integration |
Yes
|
Yes
|
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| Native/In-House Managed Services |
Yes
|
Proofpoint DLP vs. Microsoft Purview DLP
Proofpoint DLP delivers advanced content inspection and behavioral analytics across all channels through a unified cloud-native platform, ensuring comprehensive data protection with minimal false positives.
Customers continue to struggle with implementing and maintaining Purview environments due to a lack of contextual visibility, complex dashboard environments, complicated licensing, and challenges with data discovery and classification.
Proofpoint DLP vs. Broadcom Symantec DLP
Proofpoint combines advanced machine learning with streamlined incident response, offering rapid deployment and automatic scaling through its lightweight cloud architecture.
Broadcom Symantec’s complex infrastructure demands extensive maintenance and fine-tuning, while its resource-heavy deployment often impacts endpoint performance.
Proofpoint DLP vs. ForcePoint DLP
Proofpoint DLP’s unified console and advanced analytics provide comprehensive threat visibility while using minimal system resources, ensuring efficient data protection across all channels.
Forcepoint DLP offers more limited monitoring functionality with its Insider Risk offering. Also, customers struggle with a heavy footprint on managed endpoints.
Proofpoint DLP vs. SSE Vendors
Proofpoint’s infrastructure-agnostic delivery provides advanced DLP and Insider Threat capabilities in a lightweight agent, combined with signals from multiple channels like email and cloud/web.
SSE vendors rely on their traffic-steering agent to provide endpoint DLP capabilities, forcing customers to retool their DLP programs if they change infrastructure vendors. SSE vendors also can’t provide the same Insider Risk functionality at the endpoint as Proofpoint’s Insider Threat offering.
Proofpoint DLP vs. Cyberhaven
Proofpoint offers a large platform for Enterprise Data Security, providing visibility and prevention in multiple channels, a human-centric Insider Threat solution, as well as discovery and classification of Data at Rest via a full-featured DSPM.
Cyberhaven offers a smaller solution built around Data Lineage that tracks data movement across endpoints and cloud apps. It lacks the visibility that Proofpoint can provide with our extensive threat library for Insider Threat Management. Additionally, Cyberhaven’s DSPM solution is less mature than Proofpoint’s DSPM offering.
Proofpoint DLP: The Upper-Echelon for Data Loss Prevention
Proofpoint Enterprise DLP leads the market with its people-centric approach to data protection, combining advanced content inspection with behavioral analytics. Its unified platform provides unprecedented visibility across email, cloud, and endpoint environments while integrating threat intelligence to provide helpful context for accurate risk assessment.
The solution’s advanced machine learning capabilities and unified console streamline incident management while effectively counteracting both careless and malicious behaviors. Through deep content analysis and intelligent policy enforcement, Proofpoint DLP ensures comprehensive protection against data loss while minimizing false positives.
Learn more about Proofpoint’s Data Loss Protection and Prevention Platform or contact Proofpoint for more information.
DLP Software Must-Haves
Modern DLP software solutions must offer comprehensive features to effectively protect sensitive data across an organization’s digital ecosystem. Here are the essential capabilities to look for in a robust DLP solution:
Data Monitoring
Data discovery and classification
The top DLP tools should automatically identify and classify sensitive data and its metadata. This is crucial for keeping pace with constant data creation and modification to ensure data leaks are not overlooked.
Real-time monitoring and analysis
DLP tools must provide real-time monitoring and analysis of data in use, in motion, and at rest. This allows for immediate detection of policy violations and potential data breaches, enabling quick response to security threats.
User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA)
UEBA capabilities help detect unusual user behavior patterns that might signal insider threats or compromised accounts.
Integration and Expansion
Cloud integration
With the rapid adoption of cloud services, DLP solutions must seamlessly integrate with popular cloud platforms and applications to prevent data leaks in cloud environments.
Integration with existing security infrastructure
The DLP solution should easily integrate with other security tools like firewalls, secure web gateways, and cloud access security brokers (CASBs) to provide a unified security approach.
Scalability and flexibility
The solution must be scalable to handle large amounts of data and adaptable to meet an organization’s changing demands and specific security needs.
Security and Protection
Policy management and enforcement
The ability to create, manage, and enforce granular data protection policies across all monitored channels is essential. This includes endpoints, networks, cloud services, and email systems.
Endpoint protection
DLP software should offer robust endpoint security features to enforce data protection policies at the endpoint level, including devices, applications, and file encryption.
Incident response and remediation
The DLP solution should easily integrate with other security tools like firewalls, secure web gateways, and cloud access security brokers (CASBs) to provide a unified security approach.
Content-based classification
These solutions must employ advanced algorithms and machine learning to detect patterns and context in various file types, enabling precise identification and categorization of sensitive data.
What is DLP software?
DLP software is a set of tools and technologies designed to detect, monitor, and prevent the unauthorized use or transmission of sensitive data. It acts as a watchdog for your organization’s information, identifying and protecting confidential data whether it’s in use, in motion, or at rest.
By implementing DLP solutions, companies can enforce data handling policies, comply with regulatory requirements, and substantially reduce data breaches or leaks that result in significant financial losses and reputational damage.
