Data security posture hanagement (DSPM) is a set of security practices and technologies used to monitor and assess data stored in the cloud. As remote and hybrid work models become more popular the demand for cloud infrastructure has risen, as have security risks. DSPM addresses security concerns by identifying exactly where sensitive data appears in the cloud and who has access to that data.
How does DSPM work?
By its nature, cloud technology makes it easy for users to access data from anywhere on the network in a matter of seconds. This introduces the risk that files can be copied and even edited by users with little technical knowledge.
DSPM is a data-centric technology, which considers both the location of the data it protects, as well as how critical or sensitive the content it contains is. Normalyze in its explanation of DSPM describes that it determines an organization’s security posture by generating a ‘data map’ of user access, giving DevOps teams the datasets required to identify business risks.
As an emerging technology, vendors have adopted different qualifications for what counts as a DSPM solution. However, "Innovation Insight: Data Security Posture Management" from Gartner outlines the following the following functions:
Data discovery – The process of locating data – including shadow data that is otherwise unaccounted for by IT teams – and analyzing its contents.
Data classification – The process of detecting ‘at risk’ data by mapping its user access.
Static risk analysis – The process of enforcing practices conducive to overall security posture.
What are the benefits of DSPM?
Deploying a DSPM system yields two main benefits to organizations that work with critical data. Locating all instances of data across a network allows DevOps and Security Ops to better prevent both external and internal breaches. DSPM is also associated with a reduction in cloud spending, due to its capacity to identify redundant data which may be generating extra fees for cloud storage.
What are the limitations of DSPM?
There are two primary limitations when talking about DSPM, the first being its complexity. As of now there is a high degree of technical expertise required to implement DSPM, which makes it less attractive for smaller operations. The effectiveness of many DSPM solutions is also only limited to data stored in public clouds while other environments are left unprotected.
Recently, DSPM offerings have become more common, with the data security industry adapting to combat new threats and cloud technologies, both of which continue to increase in complexity. DSPM is seen by some as the state of the art of data security, realized in all its modern glory. But complexity remains a significant deterrent for its adoption.
Learn more about DSPM:
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