7 steps to improve your data security posture

Ensuring a robust data security posture is more complex than ever. The rapid adoption of cloud technologies and the proliferation of cloud service providers (CSPs) have resulted in sensitive data and data repositories becoming lost and unprotected in cloud environments. To make matters worse, overstretched security teams don’t have the time to discover and protect all these assets. Fortunately, however, new technologies are helping to remediate these issues.

In 2022’s Hype Cycle for Data Security, Gartner introduced data security posture management (DSPM) to the world. DSPM solutions are fast becoming an instrumental part of data security strategies, particularly for organizations with complex cloud environments. Following the seven steps involved in using a DSPM solution – which we’ll cover in this article – can have a transformative impact on your organization’s data security posture. So, let’s dive in.

Data discovery

The first and arguably most crucial step DSPM solutions take to improve data security posture is data discovery. They integrate seamlessly with CSPs and identify and catalog all data assets across an organization’s infrastructure—including cloud and on-premises data stores—to offer security teams comprehensive visibility of their sensitive data.

Data classification

When the DSPM solution has discovered all sensitive data, it can begin classifying data based on sensitivity and compliance with regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and the CCPA.

Data classification is crucial for effective data protection. It allows security teams to determine which data is most critical and, hence, requires more significant protection. By classifying data in this way, security teams can use their time and resources more effectively, offering financial and productivity benefits.

Risk assessment and prioritization

Similarly, DSPM solutions also help security teams prioritize remediation and protection efforts by identifying what assets are most at risk. Through techniques like vulnerability scanning and risk correlation, these solutions identify vulnerabilities and threats in data assets so security teams can prioritize assets requiring immediate attention and allocate resources accordingly.

Prioritizing assets in this way also enhances the organization’s data security posture because it enables security teams to respond to critical threats immediately. Without this process, security teams would have to either carry out manual risk assessments on assets – an extremely time-consuming process – or work methodically through assets, potentially addressing critical threats too late.

Configuration and policy management

In complex cloud environments, it’s relatively easy for security teams to lose track of configurations, weak access controls, or inconsistent security policies simply by virtue of the size and diversity of these infrastructures.

DSPM solutions help remediate this issue by ensuring data security policies and configurations align with best practices and regulatory standards.

Reporting and alerting

Accurate, timely information is crucial for enhancing an organization’s security posture. DSPM solutions offer a comprehensive, unified view of an organization’s security posture through detailed reports and dashboards so security teams can identify potential gaps and take action to close them.

Remediation and prevention

However, DSPM solutions do more than provide security teams with insight into their data security posture—they offer actionable advice for addressing security issues, conduct root cause analyses to inform incident response efforts, and help security teams remediate issues in real-time.

It’s also worth noting that DSPM is not a one-and-done solution. These steps are cyclical and continuous, with security measures being monitored and updated to prevent future data breaches and maintain cloud security.

Integration with other solutions

The final step for DSPM solutions is to integrate with other tools. They are designed to work seamlessly with tools like Data Loss Prevention (DLP), Data Detection and Response (DDR), Insider Risk Management (IRM), and more to provide a unified and comprehensive approach to data protection. Here’s a short overview of how these tools work together:

• DLP: DLP’s policy enforcement capabilities complement DSPM’s data visibility capabilities to ensure data is both well-managed and protected against leakage.
• DDR: DDR focuses on real-time threat detection. When used in conjunction with DSPM, these security teams can understand their data environment and actively prevent threats to it.
• IRM: IRM tools, as the name suggests, monitor user behaviors to address the risks associated with insiders, such as malicious or accidental data leakage. Thus, they add an additional layer of protection to the foundational visibility and governance provided by DSPM.

Purchasing a DSPM solution

If you’re considering purchasing a DSPM solution, be aware that it can be a hefty investment. As such, it’s important to do your due diligence before deciding. Gartner’s Voice of the Customer for Data Security Posture Management report is an invaluable resource for helping to make this decision.

The report synthesizes 379 reviews from Gartner’s Peer Insights page across an 18-month period ending on the 31^st of March to help IT decision-makers determine which of the current industry-leading DSPM solutions is best for them. While all vendors score reasonably well, it’s worth reading the report to get the full picture.

Overall, DSPM solutions can be a game changer when it comes to improving data security postures, especially for organizations with diverse, complex cloud environments. For more comprehensive cloud protection, they are easily integrated with other data protection tools. If you think you might benefit from a DSPM solution, contact a trusted DSPM solution provider to find out more about how they can work for your organization.