The latest data leak is being called the ‘Mother of all breaches,’ making up 26 billion account records. It’s not just another headline; it’s a wake-up call echoing through boardrooms and SOCs. Even as the demands of safeguarding sensitive information surge, security pros are caught in a web of complexities, juggling tools like acrobats in a circus—and that’s not sustainable. The big question: How can organizations meet the evolving requirements for airtight data security without pushing their teams and resources to the brink?  

The latest IDC whitepaper,  "The Quest for a Single Set of Unified DLP Policies*," dives into the transformative journey of consolidating data security policies, shining a light on survey results that point to increased productivity and operational cost savings after unifying DLP policy management. 

Challenges in Synchronizing DLP Solutions 

Ongoing digital transformation initiatives have led to separate DLP solutions being dispersed across various channels, from endpoints and networks to SWGs and CASBs. These solutions are the guardians of sensitive info. But here’s the takeaway from IDC’s survey (which we sponsored): multiple DLP solutions lead to policy chaos.  

Survey participants weighed in on DLP implementations, emphasizing the importance of unifying policies: 

• Companies going all-in on DLP solutions that provide full blocking, not just discovery and classification, see fewer breaches. That makes sense as active protection is the name of the game. 
• Synchronization of DLP policies across multiple channels is a huge hurdle: 82% of companies are doing it, with 46% using a manual process involving 4 or more people. 
• The typical synchronization process is time-consuming, resource-draining, and expensive. Picture teams dealing with incident management, separate policies, and a maze of interfaces. All that creates gaps and vulnerabilities. 

30% Productivity Gains and 31% Operational Savings from Unifying DLP Management 

From the chaos, the desire for a single set of unified DLP policies emerges as the way forward. Survey respondents are all for consolidating DLP management, recognizing these tangible benefits: 

• The breaking reality: unified DLP policies turbocharge productivity and slash operational costs.
• Respondents estimate a 30% productivity boost and 31% savings from reducing operational complexity. 
• These figures represent significant gains that organizations can achieve by streamlining and unifying their DLP management. They’re essential elements for making digital transformation efforts a success. 

The call for a unified approach to DLP policy and incident management isn’t just wishful thinking. It’s a practical necessity as data security evolves. If your company is navigating the complexities of digital transformation, a single set of unified DLP policies is your strategic compass.  

We designed Forcepoint Enterprise DLP to make it easy for security teams to apply hundreds or even thousands of security policies into more channels all managed from Forcepoint Security Manager. For Forcepoint ONE customers, that means security teams can scale those policies across web, cloud and private apps with just a few clicks.  

Ready for actionable insights? Download the IDC White Paper, "The Quest for a Single Set of Unified DLP Policies." It’s your ticket to simplifying data security—because who needs complexity anyway? 

*IDC White Paper, sponsored by Forcepoint, The Quest for a Single Set of Unified DLP Policies, IDC #US51335023, Jan 2024 

Forcepoint is the leading user and data protection cybersecurity company, entrusted to safeguard organizations while driving digital transformation and growth. Our solutions adapt in real-time to how people interact with data, providing secure access while enabling employees to create value.