Data Security Software
Data governance, privacy compliance, and security management.
Key Functions
| Function | Description | AI Opportunity |
|---|---|---|
| Data Discovery | Find sensitive data across systems | Auto-classification |
| Access Control | Permissions, roles, policies | Anomaly detection |
| Privacy Compliance | GDPR, CCPA, consent management | Auto-compliance |
| Data Masking | Anonymization, pseudonymization | Smart masking |
| Audit Logging | Track data access, changes | Pattern detection |
| Encryption | At-rest, in-transit, key management | — |
| DLP | Prevent data leakage | Intelligent blocking |
| Consent Management | Cookie banners, preference centers | Auto-updates |
| Risk Assessment | Vulnerability scanning, scoring | Predictive risk |
| Incident Response | Breach detection, notification | Auto-response |
Data Footprint
Core Entities
| Entity | Fields | Volume | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Inventory | systems, data types, locations | Medium | Medium |
| Policies | rules, conditions, actions | Low | Low |
| Access Logs | user, resource, action, timestamp | Very High | Medium |
| Consents | user, purpose, timestamp, status | High | High |
| Incidents | type, severity, status, response | Low | High |
| Assessments | risks, findings, remediation | Medium | Medium |
| Keys | encryption keys, rotation schedules | Low | Critical |
| Classifications | data labels, sensitivity levels | High | Low |
Integration Points
| System | Data Flow | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Databases | Data discovery, access logs | Bi-directional |
| Cloud Platforms | IAM, logging | Bi-directional |
| SaaS Apps | Data access, policies | Bi-directional |
| SIEM | Security events | Outbound |
| Identity Provider | User context | Inbound |
| Website | Consent capture | Bi-directional |
Data Retention
| Data Type | Typical Retention | Compliance Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Access logs | 1-7 years | Compliance/audit |
| Consent records | Duration of relationship + 7 years | GDPR proof |
| Incident records | 7+ years | Legal/regulatory |
| Assessment history | 3-5 years | Audit trail |
Evaluation Criteria
| Criteria | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage breadth | High | All your data sources |
| Compliance frameworks | High | GDPR, CCPA, SOC2, etc. |
| Automation | High | Manual doesn't scale |
| False positive rate | Medium | Alert fatigue |
| Integration depth | Medium | Your tech stack |
| Reporting | Medium | Audit readiness |
| Ease of deployment | Medium | Time to value |
Market Leaders
| Product | Strength | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| OneTrust | Privacy, compliance breadth | Enterprise compliance |
| Immuta | Data access governance | Data platforms |
| BigID | Data discovery, AI | Large data estates |
| Termly | Consent management, price | SMB privacy |
| Osano | Simplicity, consent | SMB compliance |
| Varonis | On-prem data security | File system focus |
AI Disruption Potential
| Function | Current State | 2027 Projection |
|---|---|---|
| Data classification | Rules + ML | Auto-classification |
| Anomaly detection | Pattern-based | Predictive |
| Policy creation | Manual | Auto-generated |
| Compliance mapping | Manual | Continuous auto-audit |
| Incident response | Playbooks | Autonomous response |
| Risk scoring | Point-in-time | Real-time continuous |
Build vs Buy: Buy. Security and compliance require specialized expertise and continuous regulatory updates. Liability of getting it wrong is high.