Data Security Posture Management emerged as a distinct category in Gartner’s 2022 Hype Cycle and has rapidly become critical as organizations grapple with data sprawl across cloud, SaaS, and AI pipelines. The core problem DSPM solves is straightforward: you can’t protect data you can’t find. These platforms automatically discover, classify, and assess risk for sensitive data across multi-cloud environments, data warehouses, SaaS applications, and increasingly, AI training datasets and vector databases.

The market is consolidating rapidly. Palo Alto acquired Dig Security, Rubrik acquired Laminar in 2023, and CNAPP vendors are adding DSPM as a native module. Standalone DSPM vendors like Cyera (with its $9B valuation) are betting that data security requires purpose-built platforms, not bolt-on features.

How We Evaluated

We assessed data discovery breadth and depth across IaaS, PaaS, DBaaS, SaaS, and on-prem. Classification accuracy mattered, meaning precision of sensitive data identification with low false positives. Risk prioritization that contextualizes data risk with access, exposure, and compliance factors was key. Remediation capabilities including automated or guided remediation of misconfigurations and excessive access counted. AI data security, meaning ability to discover and protect data flowing into AI/ML pipelines, was increasingly important. Integration with DLP, CNAPP, SIEM, and governance platforms rounded out the criteria.

1. Cyera

Score: 96/100

Cyera has emerged as the standalone DSPM leader with a $9B valuation following its $400M Series F in January 2026, led by Blackstone. With over $1.3B in total funding and 1,100+ employees across 15 countries, Cyera has the resources to compete with platform vendors. The platform’s AI-powered classification engine covers structured, unstructured, and semi-structured data across cloud, SaaS, and on-premises environments.

Deepest data classification engine with over 98% accuracy across over 100 data types. Covers IaaS (AWS, Azure, GCP), SaaS (M365, Salesforce, Slack), DBaaS, and on-premises. AI data security module discovers data flowing into LLMs, vector databases, and training pipelines. Real-time data flow mapping shows how sensitive data moves between systems and users. Automated remediation for excessive permissions, misconfigurations, and policy violations. Named a Leader in the 2025 Forrester Wave for DSPM.

Best for: Organizations wanting a purpose-built, best-of-breed DSPM platform with the deepest classification and broadest data source coverage

2. Varonis

Score: 93/100

Varonis pioneered data-centric security long before DSPM was a category. The platform’s strength is its deep understanding of data access patterns: who accessed what data, when, and whether it was normal. The ongoing SaaS transition ($642M ARR, $209M SaaS ARR in FY2024) modernizes deployment while retaining Varonis’s unmatched on-premises and hybrid data visibility.

Deepest data access auditing tracks every file touch across on-prem and cloud. User and entity behavior analytics detect insider threats and compromised accounts. Automated remediation reduces excessive permissions and enforces least privilege. Strong hybrid coverage for organizations with significant on-premises file shares and NAS. Data classification covers structured and unstructured data including M365, Google Workspace, Salesforce, and AWS. Managed Data Detection and Response service provides 24/7 monitoring.

Best for: Organizations with significant on-premises and hybrid data environments needing deep access auditing and insider threat detection

3. Palo Alto Prisma Cloud DSPM

Score: 91/100

Palo Alto integrated Dig Security’s DSPM technology into Prisma Cloud following its 2023 acquisition, creating DSPM capability native to the leading CNAPP platform. The advantage is context: Prisma Cloud correlates data exposure with cloud misconfigurations, identity risks, and attack paths in a single platform.

DSPM integrated natively into Prisma Cloud CNAPP with no separate tool to deploy. Correlates data exposure with cloud misconfiguration, identity risk, and attack paths. Covers AWS, Azure, GCP data stores including S3, RDS, BigQuery, Cosmos DB, and Snowflake. Data flow visualization shows how sensitive data moves between cloud services. Automated remediation through Prisma Cloud’s existing workflow engine. Included in Prisma Cloud licensing with no additional cost for existing customers.

Best for: Palo Alto Prisma Cloud customers wanting integrated DSPM without deploying a separate platform

4. Wiz DSPM (Google Cloud)

Score: 89/100

Wiz added DSPM capabilities natively in 2024, extending its agentless scanning approach to data discovery and classification. Now under Google Cloud following the $32B acquisition closed in Q3 2025, Wiz DSPM benefits from Google’s AI infrastructure for classification and risk analysis.

Agentless data discovery across AWS, Azure, GCP, and OCI requires no agents or credentials for data stores. Connects data exposure to attack paths, showing which vulnerabilities could lead to sensitive data. Gemini AI integration enhances classification accuracy and risk prioritization. Single platform covers CNAPP, DSPM, and cloud security in one agentless deployment. Strong for cloud-native data stores including object storage, databases, and data warehouses. Rapid deployment discovers and classifies data within hours of connection.

Best for: Wiz/Google Cloud Security customers wanting agentless DSPM integrated into their existing CNAPP deployment

5. Rubrik Security Cloud

Score: 87/100

Rubrik approaches DSPM from the backup and recovery angle: it already has a copy of your data, so it can classify and monitor it without additional scanning infrastructure. The Laminar acquisition in 2023 added real-time DSPM capabilities to complement Rubrik’s backup-based data intelligence.

Unique backup-based approach classifies data during backup without production impact. Laminar integration adds real-time cloud DSPM alongside backup-based discovery. Cyber recovery capabilities ensure clean recovery after ransomware with data security and resilience in one platform. Sensitive data monitoring across cloud, on-prem, and SaaS backup data. Anomaly detection identifies unusual data access patterns that may indicate exfiltration. Strong for organizations where data resilience and data security are joint priorities.

Best for: Organizations wanting combined data security posture and cyber resilience from a platform that already protects their data

6. Securiti

Score: 85/100

Securiti provides a unified data command center covering DSPM, privacy, governance, and AI data security. Veeam announced the acquisition of Securiti for $1.725B in cash and stock (expected to close Q4 2025), combining data resilience with data security posture management.

Unified platform covers DSPM, privacy automation, data governance, and consent management. Over 200 native data source connectors including cloud, SaaS, on-prem databases, and data lakes. AI Radar module discovers and monitors data flowing into AI/ML systems. Automated privacy impact assessments and data subject request fulfillment. Strong compliance mapping across GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, HIPAA, and over 20 frameworks. Veeam acquisition creates combined data resilience and data security platform.

Best for: Organizations needing unified data security, privacy compliance, and AI governance, now backed by Veeam’s data resilience platform

7. BigID

Score: 83/100

BigID pioneered ML-driven data discovery and classification and has expanded into DSPM, privacy, and AI data management. The platform’s classification engine is among the most accurate in the market, using patented ML techniques rather than regex-only approaches.

Industry-leading ML-based data classification with patented techniques. Covers over 100 data sources including cloud, on-prem, mainframe, and SaaS. Data risk assessment combines sensitivity, access, residency, and regulatory context. Privacy management capabilities for GDPR, CCPA, and other regulations. Data catalog integration with Collibra, Alation, and other governance platforms. App marketplace extends functionality with modular add-ons.

Best for: Organizations prioritizing classification accuracy and needing combined data security, privacy, and governance capabilities

8. Normalyze (Proofpoint)

Score: 82/100

Proofpoint acquired Normalyze in late 2024, adding DSPM capabilities to its human-centric security platform. Normalyze’s agentless One-Pass Scanner and DataValuator technology, which assigns monetary value to data stores, differentiate it from other DSPM approaches.

Agentless One-Pass Scanner minimizes cloud API usage and scanning time. DataValuator assigns monetary value to data stores for risk quantification. Integration with Proofpoint’s DLP, email security, and insider threat capabilities. Good coverage of AWS, Azure, and GCP data stores. Recognized as a Gartner Cool Vendor in Data Security in 2024. Proofpoint’s human-centric approach connects data posture to user behavior risk.

Best for: Proofpoint customers wanting DSPM integrated with human-centric DLP, email security, and insider threat management

9. Sentra

Score: 79/100

Sentra focuses on cloud-native DSPM with an emphasis on data movement and data flow security. The platform’s DataTreks feature maps how sensitive data flows between cloud services, applications, and users, critical for understanding data exposure in complex cloud architectures.

DataTreks technology maps real-time data movement between cloud services. Agentless deployment with no impact on production workloads. Strong data flow visualization showing how sensitive data propagates. Data security policy engine automates enforcement based on sensitivity and compliance. Good coverage of cloud-native data stores including Snowflake, Databricks, and data lakes. Effective for detecting shadow data and orphaned sensitive data in cloud environments.

Best for: Cloud-native organizations focused on understanding and controlling sensitive data movement across complex cloud architectures

10. Symmetry Systems

Score: 77/100

Symmetry Systems brings identity-centric DSPM, mapping which identities (human and machine) have access to which data stores and detecting anomalous access patterns. The platform’s DataGuard correlates identity access with data sensitivity for risk scoring.

Identity-centric approach maps all human and machine identity access to data. DataGuard platform correlates identity access with data sensitivity for risk scoring. Effective for detecting excessive permissions and orphaned access to sensitive data. Good coverage of cloud data stores and identity providers. Named a Representative Vendor in the 2025 Gartner Market Guide for DSPM. Real-time data access monitoring and insider threat detection.

Best for: Organizations prioritizing identity-to-data access mapping and zero-trust data security architectures

Where the Market Is Heading

Several trends are shaping the DSPM market in 2026.

AI data security is emerging. Organizations need to discover and protect data flowing into LLMs, RAG pipelines, and vector databases. Cyera, Securiti, and BigID are leading this capability.

CNAPP integration is accelerating. Palo Alto, Wiz, and CrowdStrike are making DSPM a standard CNAPP module, pressuring standalone vendors on distribution.

The standalone versus integrated debate continues. Cyera’s $9B valuation bets that data security is complex enough to warrant a dedicated platform. CNAPP vendors bet it’s a feature.

On-prem remains critical. Despite the cloud focus, many organizations still have the majority of sensitive data on-premises. Varonis and BigID’s hybrid coverage remains essential.

Privacy and DSPM are converging. DSPM and privacy management are merging as organizations realize both require the same data discovery and classification foundation.