Cloud security posture management (CSPM) and data security posture management (DSPM) are two approaches to securing cloud environments, each with its own capabilities and techniques. Many organizations may benefit most from a combination of the two, based on their particular needs. Before deciding on an approach, researching vendors, and investing in a solution, it is important to understand the differences between DSPM and CSPM. DSPM is increasingly essential for organizations across all industries, as securing sensitive data is one of the most important aspects of any organization’s security strategy.

Differences Between DSPM and CSPM

Understanding the different goals, methods, and functions of these two strategies is vital for any organization looking to implement either one or a combination of both. Your organization’s needs, desires, and resources should be taken into account to determine which approach is best for you.

CSPM Purpose and Function

The purpose of CSPM is to secure all kinds of cloud infrastructures, including public cloud providers, multi-clouds, and hybrid environments. The focus is on protecting the cloud services used by an organization, as well as meeting industry standards and regulatory requirements that apply to cloud infrastructure. CSPM tools use a range of practices from industry standards like the Center for Internet Security (CIS) Critical Security Controls and the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CSF).

CSPM tools are built to include a range of functions to discover and protect your organization’s entire cloud environment. They help organizations ensure cloud security by filling some of the roles covered by less comprehensive standalone solutions, like data loss prevention and endpoint protection. With full visibility into the cloud environment and its security, organizations can more effectively prioritize risks and remediate vulnerabilities to protect cloud infrastructure.

A key factor in CSPM is the protection of assets, rather than data. CSPM tools and solutions monitor cloud environment configurations and compare them to standards and regulations to ensure compliance. One of the downsides of this approach is the inability of CSPM solutions to distinguish whether a compromised source contains sensitive data or not. The scope of these solutions covers Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) applications but does not extend to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).

DSPM Purpose and Function

On the other hand, DSPM is a data-focused approach to securing the cloud environment. By addressing cloud security from the angle of discovering sensitive data, DSPM is centered on protecting an organization’s valuable data. This approach helps organizations discover, classify, and protect data across all platforms, including IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS applications. 

Where CSPM is focused on finding vulnerabilities and risks for teams to remediate across the cloud environment, DSPM “gives security teams visibility into where cloud data is stored” and detects risks to that data. Security misconfigurations and vulnerabilities that may result in the exposure of data can be flagged by DSPM solutions for remediation, helping to protect an organization’s most sensitive resources.

Beyond simply discovering sensitive data, DSPM solutions also address many questions of data access and governance. They provide insight into not only where sensitive data is located, but which users have access to it, how it is used, and the security posture of the data store.

Advantages of Investing in DSPM

Every organization undoubtedly has valuable and sensitive enterprise, customer, and employee data that must be protected against a wide range of threats. Organizations can reap a great deal of benefits from DSPM in protecting data that is not stored on-premises.

Some of the key advantages of DSPM solutions include:

• These tools have the ability to discover sensitive data across all cloud platforms, including SaaS, where CSPM covers only IaaS and PaaS.
• Real-time monitoring empowers security teams to identify and respond to threats quickly.
• Certain tools include automation and machine learning functions to streamline various data protection processes, including risk assessment, data flow monitoring, and detecting unusual user activity.
• The data protection provided by DSPM helps organizations align their security strategies with various regulatory requirements, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), and the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
• Organizations can more effectively secure their data, protecting against data breaches and leaks as the result of cyberattacks or insider errors.

Conclusion

Choosing to implement a DSPM or CSPM solution or a combination of both approaches comes down to your organization’s individual needs and abilities – what resources you have to protect, how much time, labor, and effort you can invest in implementing and managing these measures, and more. The most important distinction is that CSPM is designed to secure cloud infrastructure against misconfigurations and vulnerabilities, while DSPM aims to protect an organization’s sensitive data and maintain compliance with data security regulations. 

To ensure alignment with data security requirements, DSPM can help organizations of all kinds, especially those that store and handle particularly sensitive information, such as financial services, healthcare institutions, and government bodies. This is how DSPM can go beyond the functionality of CSPM alone, ensuring that your organization’s most sensitive data is protected.