The Best Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Software Tools of 2023
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) software is critical in ensuring the security of sensitive information for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). DLP tools use a combination of data classification, policy enforcement, and monitoring to prevent data breaches and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
SMBs that handle sensitive customer data, financial information, or intellectual property are particularly vulnerable to cyber-attacks due to limited resources for security. Implementing a Data Loss Prevention tool can help SMBs identify and protect sensitive data across their networks, prevent data leaks or theft, and monitor employee activities to ensure compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements. It is essential to consider these factors to proactively safeguard your organization’s sensitive information, comply with regulations, and avoid the costly repercussions of a data breach. This article will explore the advantages and disadvantages of several popular Data Loss Prevention tools, so you can decide which tool best suits your organization’s data protection needs.
Best Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Software Tools of 2023 |
| Microsoft 365 |
| Forcepoint |
| SolarWinds |
| CrowdStrike |
| SecureTrust |
Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 offers several Data Loss Prevention features, including content scanning and protection, sensitive information types, and automatic classification and labeling of data, all of which can be configured to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and prevent data leakage. Microsoft 365 includes Data Loss Prevention capabilities that enable businesses to monitor, classify, and protect sensitive information in real-time and ensure compliance with industry regulations.
As Framework’s personal Data Loss Prevention of choice, you can identify, monitor, and automatically protect sensitive information across Office 365.
- Integration: Microsoft 365 offers seamless integration with other Microsoft products such as Office 365, SharePoint, and OneDrive, making it easy to manage data protection policies across multiple platforms.
- User-friendly interface: M365’s user interface is intuitive and easy to use, making it accessible to non-technical users.
- Flexibility: Microsoft 365 offers a variety of data protection options, including file-level encryption, data classification, and policy enforcement, which can be customized to meet the needs of different organizations.
- Scalability: Microsoft 365 can grow with your business, making it an ideal solution for small and medium-sized businesses.
Disadvantages of Microsoft 365 as a Data Loss Prevention tool:
- Limited coverage: While Microsoft 365 offers robust data protection features, it may only cover some data types and sources, leaving gaps in your organization’s data protection strategy.
- Complex implementation: Setting up and configuring Microsoft 365 data protection features can be a complex process requiring technical expertise and significant effort to get them right.
- Cost: Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based service, and implementing its data protection features can be expensive, particularly for smaller organizations.
- Dependence on Microsoft: Since Microsoft 365 is a Microsoft product, it is subject to Microsoft’s security policies and practices, which may not align with your organization’s specific security requirements.
Forcepoint
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Forcepoint’s solutions are updated in real-time to view how people interact with data, providing secure accessibility and peace of mind. Forcepoint provides Data Loss Prevention solutions that include data discovery, classification, policy enforcement, and advanced threat protection to prevent data exfiltration by insiders or external attackers. Forcepoint is a cloud-based Data Loss Prevention tool that uses machine learning and behavioral analytics to identify and protect sensitive data across an organization’s network.
Advantages of Forcepoint as a Data Loss Prevention tool:
- Behavioral analytics: Forcepoint’s behavioral analytics approach enables the tool to identify and prevent data breaches caused by user error or malicious intent.
- Cloud-based: Forcepoint offers easy deployment and scalability as a cloud-based tool, making it an attractive option for SMBs with limited IT resources.
- Customizable policies: Forcepoint allows for creating custom policies that can be tailored to an organization’s specific data protection needs.
Disadvantages of Forcepoint as a DLP tool:
- Cost: Forcepoint can be a costly option for SMBs, especially when compared to other cloud-based Data Loss Prevention
Complexity: Forcepoint can be complex to configure and requires technical expertise to set up effectively.
- Limited integration: Forcepoint’s integration capabilities with other security tools and platforms may be limited, leading to compatibility issues.
Forcepoint will create and support a secure IT environment through a platform that understands cyber behaviors to protect your employees and critical data.
SolarWinds
Headquartered in Austin, TX, SolarWinds builds products to address IT management needs in ways that align with today’s technology professionals. SolarWinds is a network and endpoint security tool that provides Data Loss Prevention features such as data classification, policy enforcement, and monitoring. SolarWinds offers Data Loss Prevention features that include endpoint protection, network traffic analysis, and incident response management, all working together to detect and prevent data breaches and cyber-attacks. SolarWinds gives businesses the power to monitor the performance of their IT environments, whether on-premises, in the cloud, or hybrid models.
Advantages of SolarWinds as a Data Loss Prevention tool:
- Network visibility: SolarWinds provides complete network visibility to identify vulnerabilities and potential security threats proactively.
- User-friendly interface: SolarWinds has a user-friendly interface that is easy to use, even for non-technical users.
- Scalability: SolarWinds can scale quickly to accommodate the growing security needs of SMBs.
Disadvantages of SolarWinds as a Data Loss Prevention tool:
- Cost: SolarWinds is a premium solution with a high price point, which may be a barrier for some SMBs.
- Complexity: SolarWinds can be a complex tool to implement and configure, requiring significant technical expertise.
- Integration: SolarWinds may not integrate seamlessly with other security tools and platforms, leading to compatibility issues.
Overall, SolarWinds is a powerful Data Loss Prevention tool that can provide SMBs with complete network visibility and scalability. However, it is essential to consider the high cost and complexity of the tool and whether it aligns with the organization’s specific data protection needs before investing in it.
It’s worth noting that SolarWinds suffered a significant data breach in 2020 that affected several of its products, including its Orion platform. However, the breach did not directly impact SolarWinds’ Data Loss Prevention capabilities, which protected sensitive data effectively. The breach did impact the company’s reputation and support functionalities, highlighting the importance of vendor trust and ongoing security assessments when selecting a Data Loss Prevention tool.
CrowdStrike
CrowdStrike offers a comprehensive suite of Data Loss Prevention tools, including endpoint protection, threat intelligence, and incident response management, all of which can be configured to prevent data theft and leakage by insiders and external attackers.
CrowdStrike Falcon is a cloud-native endpoint protection platform that provides Data Loss Prevention features, including data classification, policy enforcement, and monitoring. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of using CrowdStrike Falcon as a Data Loss Prevention tool for SMBs:
Advantages of CrowdStrike Falcon as a Data Loss Prevention tool:
- Real-time monitoring: CrowdStrike Falcon provides real-time monitoring and threat detection to help organizations quickly identify and respond to data breaches.
- Scalability: The cloud-native architecture of CrowdStrike Falcon enables easy scalability, making it an ideal solution for growing SMBs that need to accommodate expanding security needs.
- User-friendly interface: CrowdStrike Falcon has a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate and understand, even for non-technical users.
- Integration: CrowdStrike Falcon integrates seamlessly with other security tools and platforms, making it easy to manage data protection policies across multiple environments.
Disadvantages of CrowdStrike Falcon as a Data Loss Prevention tool:
- Cost: CrowdStrike Falcon is a premium solution with a high price point, which may be prohibitive for some SMBs.
- Complexity: The advanced features and capabilities of CrowdStrike Falcon can make it a complex tool to implement and configure, requiring significant technical expertise.
- Limited coverage: While this Data Loss Prevention tool provides robust endpoint protection, it may only cover some data types and sources, leaving gaps in an organization’s data protection strategy.
- Dependence on connectivity: CrowdStrike Falcon relies on internet connectivity to function correctly, which can pose a risk if internet outages occur.
SecureTrust
SecureTrust is a Data Loss Prevention (DLP) tool that can be used by small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to protect their sensitive information from unauthorized access or loss. SecureTrust provides a cloud-based DLP solution that includes data discovery and classification, data loss prevention, and insider threat management, which can be easily deployed and configured to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of using SecureTrust as a Data Loss Prevention tool for SMBs:
Advantages of SecureTrust as a Data Loss Prevention tool:
- Comprehensive coverage: SecureTrust offers various Data Loss Prevention solutions, including data discovery and classification, data loss prevention, and insider threat management, ensuring SMBs can protect their sensitive data from threats.
- Easy implementation: SecureTrust is easy to set up and configure, which is ideal for SMBs needing more resources or IT expertise to implement more complex DLP solutions.
- Cost-effective: SecureTrust is a cost-effective DLP solution compared to some of the more expensive enterprise-grade DLP tools in the market.
- Cloud-based: SecureTrust is a cloud-based DLP solution, which means that SMBs can access their data protection tools from anywhere and at any time, which is especially helpful for remote workforces.
- Flexibility: SecureTrust offers flexible deployment options, including SaaS, managed services, and on-premises, which allows SMBs to choose the deployment model that best fits their needs.
Disadvantages of SecureTrust as a Data Loss Prevention tool:
- Limited features: SecureTrust may not have all the features that SMBs require, especially compared to more comprehensive enterprise-grade DLP tools.
- Limited support: SecureTrust’s customer support may be limited compared to larger DLP vendors, which may be a challenge for SMBs that require more personalized support.
- Security concerns: As a cloud-based solution, SecureTrust may raise security concerns for SMBs that require greater control over their data protection measures
- Training and expertise: SMBs may require additional training and expertise to use SecureTrust effectively, which may be challenging for businesses with limited resources.
SecureTrust offers merchant risk management solutions for merchant program sponsors around the globe.
