Key Points:

1. Traditionally, data security revolved around fortifying network perimeters within office spaces. However, the landscape has evolved with critical data in cloud environments and a global workforce.
2. This shift has necessitated the adoption of Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) and Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) strategies.
3. CSPM enhances cloud security, focusing on network and app protection, compliance, and cost efficiency, while a DSPM tool concentrates on data security, protecting sensitive data, reducing risks, and ensuring regulatory compliance, such as GDPR, PCI DSS or HIPAA.
4. Organisations should consider their specific security needs to decide between CSPM and DSPM, or use both for comprehensive security. It’s less a case of CSPM vs DSPM, and more a case of figuring out what works for your business.

What are the key differences between CSPM & DSPM?

Whereas CSPM focuses on your organisation’s cloud infrastructure and services, DSPM prioritises the privacy of your data.

Here’s an overview of how the two differ:

How do CSPM and DSPM work?

Let's take the analogy of a bank and the contents within it to explain.

The bank (the cloud provider) would ensure that access to the safe within it is secured, and the owners of different vaults, can only open their vault. Rather than worry about what its users put inside their own vaults, it is solely concerned with the bigger picture. This is CSPM.

Now let's imagine multiple people have access to the same vault. At this point, concerns arise over the contents of the vault - and whether there are important documents inside that only certain individuals should have access to. So, they find a DSPM tool that scans the contents of the vault and warns the owner of the documents about sensitive information that could leak. This is DSPM.

Do you need both, or either?

Whether you’ll need CSPM or DSPM will depend on what your organisation needs; they each have their own benefits, and could help your business in different ways.

CSPM can help you ensure your cloud services are secure, and configured correctly to avoid data leaks. It can also keep you aligned with the latest regulations to ensure you’re compliant, and give you continuous monitoring over your cloud environment so you’re able to respond to threats quickly.

CSPM has the potential to help you save money by reducing the use of inefficient services too.

In terms of monetary value, DSPM tools can be indispensable for their ability to help you avoid hefty penalties by keeping you compliant with regulations such as HIPAA, PCI DSS and GDPR. With a focus on safeguarding sensitive data, DSPM can help you gain total visibility and control over one of your most valuable assets.

Using CSPM and DSPM in conjunction with each other could help you build a comprehensive security posture that covers both cloud infrastructure and data protection, reducing your overall attack surface.

What are the risks of not having CSPM or DSPM?

Without either of these in place, you could be opening yourself up to critical risks that could result in your cloud environment being compromised, or your data being leaked.

Leaving CSPM out of the equation could lead to misconfigurations, allowing attackers to exploit vulnerabilities, or a security threat might go undetected for a long time, giving bad actors a chance to steal as much information from you as possible.

The risks of not having DSPM in place could include an increased risk of data breaches, or leaks, as well as a lack of control over user access.

Without either CSPM or DSPM, you run the risk of non-compliance with regulations like GDPR or HIPAA, which could lead to huge financial and reputational losses.

Example: CSPM and DSPM in action

Taking a financial services company - let’s call them ‘Trusted Bank’ - as our example, let’s see how CSPM and DSPM would apply.

Trusted Bank may use Google Cloud to house all of their applications so their worldwide team can work seamlessly, and collaborate effectively. The CISO at Trusted Bank can use a CSPM tool to ensure the cloud infrastructure is sound, and there are no vulnerabilities that could be exploited. They could also have strict access controls in place, using a CSPM tool, to stop unauthorised users getting into the cloud environment.

Now that the cloud is secured, let’s look at the data stored in that cloud. The company's Google Drive could be overflowing with sensitive data - particularly customers’ credit card details. A DSPM tool would help the CISO understand where sensitive data is stored, and classify it to make sure they are clear on their most critical risks.

If the DSPM tool identifies sensitive data stored in a spreadsheet within Google Drive for instance, with public access available for anyone on the internet, it could also warn the CISO of the data that is currently exposed, and automation rules can be put in place to revoke access for everyone except the leadership team.

How can Metomic help?

Metomic is a human-centric DSPM tool that helps security teams understand where sensitive data is stored in SaaS apps like Slack, Jira, and Chat GPT. You can’t protect what you can’t see, after all.

Once you have this insight, you’ll be able to set automated rules to redact sensitive data being shared across these platforms, thus reducing the amount of data held in your SaaS stack. We integrate instantly with your SaaS apps to start detecting and protecting data from day one.