Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

With high-profile data breaches making headlines on a regular basis, it’s no wonder that data security is top of mind for so many organizations. But what exactly is data security posture management (DSPM)? In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at DSPM and how it can help your business keep its data safe and secure.

‍Data leaks happen when sensitive data or personally identifiable information (PII) is accidentally exposed on the internet or dark web. Typically, data leaks only occur due to poor cyber hygiene, weak network security, or software misconfiguration that can lead to unintended data exposure. Without proper data leak detection processes, cybercriminals and hackers can exploit the exposed data without the organization’s knowledge using open-source intelligence (OSINT).

The last few years have seen a huge shift in how organizations work with their data. The COVID pandemic accelerated a digital transformation as workers transitioned from the office to home-based and back into hybrid working environments. With this new set-up, collaboration is key to worker efficiency. However, the adoption of Microsoft 365 and Teams as a front-end platform has created new challenges for security teams.

Email is a popular channel for hackers: phishing attacks and malware usually originate from email. In 2022, Verizon found that 82% of breaches involved the human element: phishing emails and ransomware delivered via email continue to plague organizations of all sizes. For an organization with 1–250 employees, roughly one in 323 emails will be malicious, according to Comparitech.

By one estimate, 60% of all corporate data is stored in the cloud. Businesses rely on cloud platforms like Slack, Google Drive, GitHub and Confluence to store data, share information, and run smoothly. Unfortunately, hosting all this information in one place provides an appealing target for hackers. Cloud programs are often vulnerable to data hacks, leaks, and insider threats.

Data loss prevention starts with data visibility. Without a clear idea of what data an organization has, where it lives, and how it’s used, data loss prevention (DLP) is essentially an exercise in futility. While the concept of data visibility may seem straightforward, in practice, it’s a challenge. The rise of remote work has led to a proliferation of devices and programs that prevent an IT team from getting a clear picture of where data lives.