DSPM: The Missing Piece For A Successful DLP Project

InnovationDSPM: The Missing Piece For A Successful DLP ProjectByRohit Dhamankar,Forbes Councils Member.for Forbes Technology CouncilCOUNCIL POSTExpertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author. | Membership (fee-based)May 19, 2026, 10:15am EDTRohit Dhamankar, VP, M&A and AI Strategy, Cybersecurity Experience for 15+ years. gettyData has never been more crucial to companies than it is right now. Data-driven decisions drive operational optimizations, cost efficiencies and competitive advantages. The rise of generative AI and the direct link between data set quality and AI outcomes signal that data's importance will only continue to grow.At the same time, threats to data have never been greater. Ransomware gangs increasingly favor data extortion over encryption, while the explosion of data sprawl across multiple hosting environments means organizations struggle to unify security across various data types and stores. Layer in persistent risks from user error and insider threats, and the picture becomes even more urgent.In this environment, companies that once declared "DLP is dead" are reconsidering. But data loss prevention as we knew it has serious limitations, and many DLP projects have delivered far less than hoped. The solution may be in pairing DLP with data security posture management (DSPM).Why Protected Data Matters More Than EverMaintaining the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data is now a baseline requirement for any organization seeking to stay competitive and compliant.From a regulatory standpoint, GDPR requires organizations to identify, classify and protect personal information. HIPAA mandates protection of PHI, but traditional DLP can't identify PHI unless it's already labeled. NIST requires data classification that goes well beyond the scope of conventional DLP. As data volumes grow, compliance obligations will grow alongside them, and DLP alone is stru...