From Reactive To Proactive: DSPM's Transformative Role in Data Security

Normalyze announced the release of new research by Omdia, commissioned by Normalyze, which sheds light on the growing importance of DSPM as a foundation for modern data strategies. This comprehensive analysis, based on a survey of 209 U.S.-based security decision-makers, underscores the significant gaps in data protection that DSPM is uniquely positioned to address, market requirements, and anticipated roadblocks.

According to the report, 89% of organizations expect a significant or moderate increase in data security budgets over the next 12 months, driven by the escalating threat landscape and stringent regulatory requirements like GDPR and HIPAA. Despite these investments, many organizations still struggle with the complexities of managing vast, unstructured data environments and ensuring compliance.

To underscore that point, respondents shared that their organizations' top data security priorities over the next 12–24 months include reducing the opportunity for threats to infiltrate data stores (59%), improving data security posture (53%), and demonstrating ROI through improved reporting and business communication (42%).

The report delves into whether respondents have already adopted DSPM, plan to adopt it, or the reasons for not doing so.

With data breaches costing companies an average of $4.45 million per incident, according to IBM, the need for comprehensive data security measures has never been more pressing. The Omdia report reveals that many organizations still face challenges such as inadequate classification and labeling of data, leading to increased risks of unauthorized access and regulatory non-compliance.

“Organizations must prioritize data classification and governance to stay ahead of evolving threats and regulatory demands,” said Adam Strange, Principal Analyst at Omdia. “This research makes it clear that organizations are still struggling with data security and DSPM appears to be the next stop on many roadmaps.”

Respondents shared that the most common challenges in DSPM implementation include making new hires or lacking internal resources (61%), vendor/tool selection (51%), and obtaining executive buy-in (38%).

The economic implications of failing to secure data from the outset are staggering. “DSPM is a strategic enabler for a wide range of use cases, including AI initiatives, data migration projects, and data hygiene efforts. Data context and security must be the first step in these endeavors – without it, these projects are destined to fail,” said Amer Deeba, CEO and co-founder of Normalyze. “The economic value becomes clear when considering how many of these projects fail due to a lack of classified data, which stems from insufficient understanding and alignment among leadership to secure the necessary budget and resources from the outset.”

Source: Normalyze media announcement