Data security posture management (DSPM) software helps organizations assess, manage, and strengthen the security of sensitive data across cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments. These tools identify where sensitive data resides, classify it, evaluate risk levels, and implement or recommend remediations to ensure compliance and prevent data breaches. Security and compliance professionals use DSPM solutions to integrate into broader data security and risk management strategies by providing centralized visibility and continuous monitoring of sensitive data across all locations.
DSPM tools go beyond cloud security posture management (CSPM), application security posture management (ASPM), and SaaS security posture management (SSPM) solutions by focusing directly on the security posture of the data itself. It applies to data across diverse environments, not just within cloud or infrastructure boundaries. Unlike data-centric security and data loss prevention (DLP) products that focus on encryption or tokenization, DSPM emphasizes posture visibility, risk assessment, and remediation prioritization.
To qualify for inclusion in the Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) category, a product must:
Discover and classify sensitive data across environments
Provide visibility into data exposure, misconfigurations, or policy violations
Continuously monitor and assess data security risks
Support remediation workflows or provide recommendations to reduce risk
