Data protection for cloud applications is focused on preventing organizations from unintentionally exposing sensitive, or protected data created, shared or transferred through SaaS platforms like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace or Salesforce.
Risk of exposure of sensitive data (ie, PII or business data) through SaaS tools
Sharing settings that are public or too permissive that allow access to those authorized
Inability to see in real-time data resides and is shared through cloud applications.
Example Scenario
An employee in the Marketing department shares a confidential customer database file in Google Drive. The file is shared via the "Anyone with the link" option, which renders it publicly accessible.
Violation Elements
File contains sensitive customer data (PII, business information)
Publicly shared configuration puts unrestricted access to the data
Inappropriate exposure of confidential customer data
Cloud-native Data Loss Prevention (DLP) integrates with SaaS applications to continuously monitor, identify, and protect sensitive data stored or shared within cloud environments.
Reduced risk of public exposure of sensitive corporate or customer data
Automated remediation actions to secure cloud data and prevent breaches
Enhanced security visibility and control across SaaS environments
DLP connects through APIs to scan files, emails, chats, and forms in SaaS applications
Policies identify the use of sensitive data and unsafe sharing types
When violations are detected, DLP can automatically remove share permissions, block downloads, or alert admins
Policies function in near real-time or retroactively, meaning there is continuous end-to-end cloud data security
