Data Loss Prevention is experiencing a resurgence driven by two forces: the explosion of generative AI tools that employees paste sensitive data into, and the continued shift to cloud and SaaS that renders traditional endpoint-only DLP ineffective. The 2025 Gartner Market Guide for DLP emphasized that modern DLP must cover endpoint, network, cloud, email, and AI channels from a unified policy engine. Meanwhile, the lines between DLP, DSPM, and insider risk management are blurring as vendors expand coverage.

How We Evaluated

Platforms were assessed on:

  • Detection accuracy and precision of content inspection with low false positive rates
  • Channel coverage across endpoint, email, cloud/SaaS, web, and AI tool monitoring
  • AI/GenAI protection, specifically detecting and controlling sensitive data flowing to AI services
  • Policy management and ease of creating, tuning, and maintaining DLP policies at scale
  • Incident management including investigation workflow, evidence collection, and response automation
  • Integration with SIEM, SOAR, CASB, and SSE platforms

1. Microsoft Purview DLP

Score: 95/100

Microsoft Purview DLP dominates through distribution and integration depth. Native coverage of Windows endpoints, M365 (Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams), Power Platform, and Copilot for Microsoft 365 means most enterprise data flows are covered without third-party agents. The Copilot integration stands out: Purview can inspect and control what data Copilot accesses and generates.

Native protection covers M365, Windows endpoints, Edge browser, Power Platform, and Copilot. Adaptive Protection dynamically adjusts DLP policy strictness based on user insider risk score. Over 300 built-in sensitive information types come with trainable classifiers. A unified policy engine spans endpoint, email, cloud apps, and Microsoft AI services. Integration with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint enables contextual enforcement. Purview is included in Microsoft 365 E5 licensing, meaning no incremental DLP cost for E5 customers.

Best for: Microsoft-centric organizations wanting unified DLP across endpoints, M365, and Copilot with zero incremental licensing cost

2. Symantec DLP (Broadcom)

Score: 92/100

Symantec DLP remains the most comprehensive traditional DLP platform, with the deepest content inspection engine and broadest channel coverage. Now under Broadcom, the platform has stabilized after post-acquisition uncertainty and received meaningful investment in cloud and AI channel coverage. The Symmetry Systems acquisition (2024) adds DSPM capabilities.

The content inspection engine is the most mature and accurate, with 25+ years of development. Channel coverage is the broadest: endpoint, network, storage, email, cloud, and web. Over 900 pre-built detection policies support regulatory compliance. Fingerprinting, exact data matching, and vector ML provide advanced detection. Symmetry Systems integration adds DSPM and data access governance. A large enterprise installed base provides proven scalability.

Best for: Large enterprises with complex, multi-channel DLP requirements needing the most mature content inspection technology

3. Netskope DLP

Score: 90/100

Netskope’s inline DLP operates within its SSE platform, inspecting data in transit across web, SaaS, IaaS, and private applications. The key advantage is real-time inline inspection. Netskope sees data as it moves to cloud services and can block or coach users before data leaves the organization.

Inline inspection covers web, 80,000+ SaaS apps, IaaS, and private applications. Real-time coaching notifies users before they upload sensitive data to unauthorized services. Advanced ML classifiers handle unstructured data including images, source code, and documents. GenAI DLP controls monitor and restrict sensitive data pasted into ChatGPT, Claude, and other AI tools. Integration with Netskope SSE unifies CASB, SWG, and ZTNA with DLP policy. The cloud-native architecture requires no on-premises infrastructure.

Best for: Organizations deploying SSE/SASE that want unified DLP across all cloud, web, and AI channels

4. Zscaler DLP

Score: 88/100

Zscaler DLP operates within the Zero Trust Exchange, inspecting data inline across internet, SaaS, and private application traffic. The platform benefits from Zscaler’s massive inline inspection infrastructure processing 500B+ transactions daily.

Inline DLP across internet, SaaS, private apps, and email runs through Zero Trust Exchange. AI-powered data classification uses LLMs for contextual understanding of sensitive content. GenAI app controls include granular policies for ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and other AI tools. Exact data match, indexed document matching, and OCR support image-based DLP. Browser isolation for risky activities lets users view but not download or copy sensitive content. A unified policy engine spans Zscaler Internet Access and Zscaler Private Access.

Best for: Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange customers wanting inline DLP across all traffic without deploying additional agents

5. Forcepoint DLP

Score: 86/100

Forcepoint DLP offers strong endpoint and network DLP with a focus on behavioral analytics and risk-adaptive enforcement. Risk-Adaptive Protection automatically escalates enforcement when user behavior indicates elevated risk.

Risk-Adaptive Protection dynamically adjusts DLP enforcement based on user behavior. Strong endpoint DLP covers clipboard, print, USB, screen capture, and application paste. Over 1,700 pre-built DLP policies and classifiers support regulatory compliance. Network DLP covers email, web, and cloud traffic inspection. A unified management console handles endpoint, network, cloud, and email DLP. Good integration with Forcepoint ONE SSE platform is available.

Best for: Organizations prioritizing behavioral risk-adaptive DLP that automatically escalates enforcement for high-risk users

6. Proofpoint DLP

Score: 84/100

Proofpoint approaches DLP from its strength in email and human-centric security. The platform focuses on protecting data where it’s most commonly lost, through email, cloud apps, and endpoint actions by employees. Proofpoint’s people-centric approach correlates DLP events with user risk profiles.

Strong email DLP integrates deeply with Proofpoint’s email security platform. The people-centric approach correlates data loss events with user threat and risk profiles. Endpoint DLP covers USB, print, clipboard, cloud sync, and application uploads. A managed DLP service provides outsourced policy management and incident response. Good SaaS application coverage includes M365, Google Workspace, Salesforce, and Box. The Hornetsecurity acquisition ($1.8B, 2025) extends coverage to mid-market and Microsoft-centric environments.

Best for: Organizations with mature email security needs wanting DLP that correlates data loss risk with people-centric threat intelligence

7. Trellix DLP

Score: 82/100

Trellix DLP inherits McAfee Enterprise’s extensive DLP technology, offering endpoint, network, and cloud coverage. The platform’s fingerprinting and classification engine remains among the most accurate for structured data detection.

Mature endpoint DLP provides deep OS-level monitoring on Windows and macOS. Network DLP offers hardware and virtual appliance options for email and web traffic. Unified DLP Cloud extends policies to cloud applications and services. Strong fingerprinting capabilities work well for structured data (databases, spreadsheets). Integration with Trellix XDR enables correlated data security and threat detection. A large enterprise installed base comes from legacy McAfee DLP deployments.

Best for: Existing McAfee/Trellix customers with mature DLP programs needing continued enterprise-grade DLP coverage

8. Digital Guardian (Fortra)

Score: 80/100

Digital Guardian, now part of Fortra, provides endpoint-focused DLP with deep kernel-level visibility into data movement. The platform excels at protecting intellectual property and trade secrets, its original design purpose.

Deepest endpoint visibility comes from kernel-level monitoring of all data operations. The platform is purpose-built for intellectual property and trade secret protection. Flexible classification supports content-based, context-based, and user-driven tagging. Network DLP and cloud DLP modules extend coverage beyond endpoints. A managed DLP service provides outsourced monitoring and incident response. The platform has strong manufacturing and technology sector presence.

Best for: Organizations with critical intellectual property and trade secrets needing the deepest endpoint-level data visibility

9. CoSoSys Endpoint Protector

Score: 78/100

CoSoSys Endpoint Protector provides cross-platform endpoint DLP with strong support for macOS and Linux in addition to Windows. The platform is notable for its rapid deployment and ease of management, making it accessible to mid-market organizations.

True cross-platform DLP covers Windows, macOS, and Linux with feature parity. Device control handles USB, Bluetooth, MTP, and other peripheral data transfer. Content-aware protection covers 200+ file types. An eDiscovery module scans endpoints for sensitive data at rest. Simple deployment and management make it accessible for organizations without dedicated DLP teams. Pricing is competitive for mid-market organizations.

Best for: Mid-market organizations and those with significant macOS/Linux environments needing cross-platform endpoint DLP

10. Mimecast Incydr (formerly Code42)

Score: 76/100

Mimecast Incydr focuses specifically on insider risk management, detecting and responding to data exfiltration by employees, contractors, and departing users. Rather than traditional DLP policy enforcement, Incydr monitors file movement and flags risky activity for investigation.

The platform is purpose-built for insider risk management and data exfiltration detection. Monitoring covers file exposure through cloud, web, email, removable media, and Airdrop. Departing employee monitoring automatically escalates monitoring for users with notice dates. Risk scoring prioritizes events by user context, data sensitivity, and destination risk. Forensic investigation tools serve HR, legal, and security teams. The lightweight approach requires no content inspection policies to manage; it focuses on file movement patterns.

Best for: Organizations focused on insider risk and data exfiltration detection rather than traditional content-based DLP policy enforcement

Several trends are shaping the DLP market in 2026.

GenAI protection is now the top priority. Controlling sensitive data flowing to ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, and other AI tools is the primary DLP use case driving new purchases.

SSE/SASE integration is displacing standalone network DLP. Netskope, Zscaler, and Palo Alto provide DLP as a feature of their SSE platforms, eliminating standalone network DLP appliances.

DLP and DSPM are converging. Knowing where sensitive data exists (DSPM) and preventing it from leaving (DLP) are two sides of the same problem. Vendors are combining both.

Risk-adaptive enforcement is replacing static policies. Static allow/block policies are being replaced by risk-adaptive enforcement that adjusts strictness based on user behavior, data sensitivity, and destination risk.

Microsoft’s distribution advantage is undeniable. Purview DLP’s inclusion in E5 licensing makes it the default choice, forcing competitors to differentiate on accuracy, channel breadth, or managed services.