A 76% Drop in Data Risk: ESG Validates Proofpoint Enterprise DLP

Modern organizations store their digital data across increasingly complex on-premise, hybrid and cloud environments. The growing sprawl of enterprise data is increasing attack surfaces and magnifying the challenge of securing sensitive information. This can include valuable or confidential information such as intellectual property (IP), personally identifiable information (PII), payment card information (PCI), and protected health information (PHI).

Despite this-and the high financial costs and reputational damage that can result from data loss incidents-many organizations still rely on incomplete or ineffective data loss prevention (DLP) solutions. Examples are "free" DLP tools included in license bundles for enterprise software suites, standalone products from secure service edge (SSE) vendors, and other, DIY solutions.

A new Economic Validation report from Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG), commissioned by Proofpoint, reveals the hidden risks and costs of using DLP products that aren't fit for purpose. By comparison, the ESG report provides compelling evidence of the transformative impact of Proofpoint Enterprise DLP.

The problem with "free" or bolted-on DLP products

As found by ESG, many organizations use DLP tools included in broader enterprise licensing bundles or buy standalone solutions from SSE vendors. ESG's research found that these solutions often fall short. They lack critical visibility into user behavior, are costly to implement, and create administrative complexity without delivering meaningful protection.

Organizations interviewed by ESG described their previous DLP environments as fragmented, requiring multiple tools and workarounds to fill functionality gaps. These ad-hoc solutions not only increased technical debt but also failed to prevent data leakage effectively.

One organization summed it up starkly: "Our free solution was valueless. We poured countless hours and dollars trying to give us a complete solution before we realized that Proofpoint Enterprise DLP was the answer."

The ESG economic validation: an analysis of business risk

The ESG report isn't just about technology-it's also about business risk. It poses critical questions to security leaders, such as:

• Are you clear about how your organization's data is being used-or misused-across email, cloud, and endpoints?
• How are you measuring the risk and cost of data loss today?
• Do you know which users and workflows are most likely to leak data?
• Have you ever calculated the risk reduction of your DLP solution?

Clear findings of the ESG analysis are the significant operational efficiencies and financial gains that Proofpoint Enterprise DLP drives. This is because Proofpoint enables visibility into user intent, not just data movement, allowing security teams to proactively manage risk and compliance.

The transformative benefits of Proofpoint Enterprise DLP

ESG finds that Proofpoint Enterprise DLP stands out from other solutions by taking a human-centric approach to data protection. Rather than just monitoring what data is being moved, it provides deep insight into how and why it is being used-across email, cloud, and endpoints.

The ESG report validates numerous benefits of Proofpoint Enterprise DLP. These include:

• 76% reduction in risky end-user behavior around data leakage. This is helped by personalized coaching and contextual warnings.
• 58% more efficient DLP administration, freeing up security teams to focus on more strategic initiatives.
• 182% direct return on investment (ROI).
• Up to 793% return on security investment (ROSI) when factoring in improved operational efficiencies and reduced risk of breaches and fines.
• $934K alleviated annual risk cost. This is based on calculations of 65% lower breach risk and 35% lower breach cost.
• $280K annual savings from improved administrative efficiency.
• $119K annual savings on licensing and platform costs.

Conclusion: transform your DLP strategy with Proofpoint

As a participant in the ESG research says, "The biggest win since moving to Proofpoint is the confidence in which data loss can be detected, controlled, and reported to our leaders." In a modern enterprise, where data is both an asset and a security liability, that confidence is invaluable.

If your organization is still relying on "free" DLP tools from enterprise software vendors or struggling with bolted-on standalone solutions, it's time to rethink your strategy.

Download the full ESG Economic Validation report to learn how Proofpoint Enterprise DLP can transform your data protection approach and deliver significant and measurable business value.