CASB vs. DLP: Understanding the Key Differences

Master the art of cloud security: CASB vs. DLP. Learn their key differences; understand how to choose the right solution to enhance your organization's cloud security strategy and data protection.

The value of the CASB Software market is predicted to be 8.89 billion in 2024 and is estimated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 17.64% from 2024 to 2031, reaching 23.57 billion by the end of 2031.

According to statistics on network security, the average cost of a data breach surged to a record high in the year 2023, with some estimates pegging this at around $4 million. This is the figure that companies are banking on for protecting their data with a raft of solutions that range from data loss prevention software and device control tools to security risk management software.

Here is what you will learn in this guide: 

• Examine the key differences, features, and use cases of CASB and DLP solutions
• How to be very clear in integrating these technologies in efficient ways within your overall security strategy
• Ensure security and compliance across fast-moving cloud environments.

Let’s get started.

What is CASB?

A Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) serves as a foundational component of every organization as it restricts access to cloud-based resources and services. Put simply, CASB enforces an organization’s security policies and addresses gaps that could potentially expand attack surfaces, if left unchecked. The increasing use of cloud-based services creates new threat vectors and CASB takes care of any sensitive data risks when information is handled or processed through them. It’s the little nuances in service behaviors and user interactions that can make a difference in increasing an organization’s risk for a security breach. Thus, CASB improves visibility across the entire cloud estate and helps companies uncover shadow IT practices.

What are the key features of CASB?

A CASB consolidates multiple layers of policy enforcement across organizations. It applies them to every resource, tool, or application being used by the business, including unmanaged, BYOD, and IoT devices, smartphones, and personal laptops.

Here are the key features of CASB:

1. Many CASBs offer secure web gateways. They cover aspects such as cloud data governance, malware detection, configuration auditing, data encryption, key management, SSO and IAM integration, and contextual access control
2. CASBs provide comprehensive visibility into cloud devices and their usage. They give a complete view of the IT infrastructure, device data, and even provide location information. Users get to know about their cloud app usage practices. Cloud risk analysis is conducted by modern CASBs that let security experts decide whether or not to continue allowing access to certain devices, and resources, or simply block them.
3. CASBs can identify areas of compliance risks. They help organizations adhere to the latest compliance standards such as HIPAA, PCI-DSS, NIST, ISO 27001, SOC 2, and many more. CASBs can provide the right direction on how to achieve regulatory compliance, in accordance with state laws. Organizations can get rid of unneeded compliance mandates and stick to the ones that work for them.
4. The biggest feature every CASB solution must have is advanced threat protection. These tools can compile a holistic view of regular usage patterns and establish baselines for various cloud apps and services. By leveraging User Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) technology, modern CASBs can set standards for abnormal behaviors. A CASB can detect and remediate threats such as unauthorized data access requests or when someone tries to commit data theft. It can use a combination of static and dynamic malware analysis, adaptive access controls, and threat intelligence to deal with these threats.
5. On-premise DLP solutions lack cloud context and do not extend their protection to cloud-based apps and services. A CASB solution can safeguard data stored and processed by cloud services. Most organizations combine CASB with DLP to achieve all-around cloud and data protection. You can protect sensitive data that travels from cloud to cloud and deploy various security features with CASBs like collaboration controls, access controls, information rights management, tokenization, encryption, and also minimize enterprise data leaks.

The Singularity Platform from SentinelOne includes CASB features for cloud security with policy-based control, anti-malware, and real-time monitoring.

What is DLP?

DLP stands for Data Loss Prevention and it protects all sensitive data within the organization. It actively scans for security vulnerabilities in business apps and services. A DLP tool can protect you from malicious emails, phishing attacks, spam, and filter out risky links. It checks for sensitive data hidden within unmanaged folders and secures employee identity data and company data from foreign threats.

What are the key features of DLP?

The key features to look for in modern DLP solutions are:

1. Data classification is a key feature of every good DLP solution. Organizations should be able to sort and label public and sensitive data, according to different classification levels. This can be a manual or automated process and the DLP platform may incorporate classification policies.
2. The ability to create custom security rules is an important feature needed in modern DLP solutions. These rules establish confidentiality markers and define how systems respond to different triggers. They can send alert notifications, halt transmission of data, and revoke user access rights. DLP tools should be also able to assign different confidentiality levels to different data types.
3. DLP should be able to start tracking sensitive data once the security rules are defined. If the event triggers any alert, it will automatically execute the configured response and raise a warning to the cybersecurity team. Further analysis by the security personnel will lead them to determine whether it is an incident or a false positive

4 Critical Differences between CASB and DLP

#1 Cloud Application Security and Controls vs Data Protection – CASB mainly deals with cloud applications and services, thus providing security controls designed for the cloud environment. DLP works on data protection throughout the entire IT infrastructure: endpoints, network, and storage systems.

#2 Visibility vs Access Restrictions – CASB provides better visibility into the usage of cloud applications and helps in controlling data transfer in a way that ensures that multi-cloud environment usage adheres to the security policies of the organization. DLP’s main purpose is to prevent loss, misuse, or unauthorized access to sensitive data of any sort.

#3 Access Policy Enforcement vs Data Classification – It enforces access policies on user, device, and location. This ensures the use of clouds in adherence to regulations and internal policies. DLP identifies and classifies the sensitive data based on its content and context. Policies are applied against unauthorized transmission or exposure of data.

#4 Cloud Security Posture Management vs Data Compliance – CASB provides additional controls over cloud applications and data, ensuring that overall cloud security posture requirements are met for organizations. DLP, on the other hand, is targeted toward avoiding data breaches and guarantees compliance for protecting sensitive data against unauthorized access and transfer.

CASB VS DLP: Key Differences

Feature	CASB	DLP
Primary Function	Monitors and controls cloud-based applications and data	Monitors and prevents unauthorized data exposure and theft
Focus	Cloud security, compliance, and governance	Data security, confidentiality, and integrity
Key Capabilities	Cloud discovery, monitoring, and control; data encryption; access controls; threat protection	Data classification, monitoring, and detection; incident response; data masking; encryption
Cloud Support	Supports multiple cloud services (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)	May not support cloud services, focuses on on-premises data
Data Scope	It monitors and controls data in cloud storage, SaaS apps, and IaaS	The solution focuses on data in motion—emails or files—and at rest, like databases or files.
Threat Protection	It protects many types of threats, including malware and ransomware detection.	Not all products will offer threat protection since the focus is on data loss prevention.
Compliance	This helps an organization comply with numerous regulations, including GDPR and HIPAA.	This helps an organization comply with numerous regulations, including PCI-DSS and SOX.
Deployment	It can be deployed as a cloud-based service, on-premises, or as a hybrid.	Typically deployed on-premises or as a cloud-based service
Cost	Potentially more cost-effective than DLP solutions, particularly for large cloud environments	Will be costlier than CASB solutions in the most challenging data environments
Integration	Integrates with cloud services, identity and access management (IAM) systems, and security information and event management (SIEM) systems	Integrates with data sources, IAM systems, and SIEM systems
Alerts and Response	Provides alerts and response capabilities for cloud security incidents	Provides alerts and response capabilities for data security incidents
Analytics and Reporting	Provides analytics and reporting for cloud security and compliance	Provides analytics and reporting for data security and compliance

When to choose between CASB and DLP?

The choice between CASB and DLP solutions will have to be based on the specific security needs of your organization, its strategy for cloud adoption, and the requirements for data protection. The following questions should be asked by you and would help in deciding:

1. Are you already using cloud services or intend to use them shortly?
2. What types of cloud services are you using? Hybrid CSP or a single cloud provider?
3. What types of data will be protected? (e.g., sensitive, confidential, regulated)
4. What compliance requirements do you need to adhere to?
5. Is it a new implementation or are there any existing DLP solutions in place?
6. Are you concerned about cloud security threats such as data breaches, malware, or unauthorized access?
7. Do you wish to monitor, control cloud-based applications, and possibly your data?
8. Do you seek threat protection, incident response, and analytics on top of your current security solution?

Here are a few scenarios that are best suited for using CASB, DLP, or both:

1. You are subscribed to the cloud services, and you need to monitor and control cloud-based applications and data. In such a case, a CASB solution would be more appropriate.
2. You want to implement a DLP solution for the protection of sensitive data irrespective of the information location, be it in the cloud, on-premises, or hybrid. A DLP solution in such a scenario may be more appropriate.
3. You are looking for something that will provide you with cloud security along with data protection. Under such circumstances, one would opt to go with either a CASB solution with DLP capabilities or a DLP solution with CASB functionality.

CASB vs DLP Use Cases

• CASBs provide a holistic view of cloud services and controls that are needed to enforce organizational security policies and other regulatory compliances. DLP solutions classify sensitive data, such as PII, financial, and intellectual property, to identify and protect it.
• CASBs enable data encryption both in transit and at rest; hence, even if the data is stored or transferred outside the organizational network, it is still encrypted. DLP monitors data in motion and at rest, detecting and preventing data exfiltration, theft or unauthorized access.
• Both CASBs and DLP solutions prevent the loss of data, but they carry it out differently; CASBs are oriented toward protection in the cloud, while DLP solutions provide data classification and encryption services.
• CASB products are designed to detect and prevent threats such as malware, ransomware, and unauthorized access to the cloud, in order to maintain the integrity of data residing in the cloud. DLP solutions mask sensitive data so that, in case of a breach, it won’t experience unauthorized access—thereby reducing the possibilities of a data breach in case credit card numbers or social security numbers are stolen.
• Both CASBs and DLP solutions protect data residing in the cloud; this CASB focuses on cloud application security and DLP on data classification and encryption.
• CASBs help comply with regulatory provisions, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS, through the monitoring and governance of cloud-based data and applications residing within institutions. DLP solutions also provide an incident response for events related to data security breaches, thereby increasing organizational response times and cyber security performance.

Choosing the Right Solution for Your Organization

• Here is a case study where CASB can be useful:

An example is a large financial company that can apply a DLP solution for the centralized management of online premises data. Still, it can encounter several problems when it attempts to expand the solution’s scope to the cloud. Below are some of the benefits the company can derive from CASB: The company can select the CASB solution to enable monitoring and regulating user activities in SaaS apps such as Salesforce and Dropbox. The CASB solution will provide visibility in user activity in real-time, be able to stop data leakage and address regulatory concerns. This minimizes the possibility of getting hijacked and also enhances the general security status of the firm.

• An example where DLP is preferred over CASB:

If the company relies mostly on on-premises applications and has much data in its networks, then. The company’s main focus will be to identify and contain data leakage from its internal network as against the cases of supervising application usage in the cloud. In this case, a DLP solution would be preferable as it is developed for the detection of data in motion and in a more traditional in-station mode as well as in cloud storage. The DLP solution would be also able to avoid data leakage by controlling file transfers, email attachments, and other data sharing, and it would offer overall better control over the sensitive data of the company.

• To summarize:

The use of Cloud Access Security Broker would be desirable over Data Loss Prevention in an organization when the organization requires monitoring and control of the use of cloud applications that are not supported by the DLP solution. CASB solutions give real-time protection or monitoring of data within the cloud environment, SaaS apps, IaaS, and PaaS.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the debate over the CASB and DLP solutions highlights the very nature of data security in this era of cloud computing. While there could be a thin line of relation between the two in terms of objectives, the basic difference is in the approach and coverage. CASB solutions like SentinelOne’s Singularity Platform are focused on extending visibility, control, and security to applications and data that exist in a cloud environment, and DLP solutions, on the other hand, primarily work on recognizing and drying out the unauthorized exfiltration of the data.

With organizations adopting cloud-based services more than ever, it is therefore fundamental to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each solution. An organization can therefore look to a combination of CASB and DLP solutions to get a comprehensive approach that assures integrity to the sensitive data. Finally, the choice between CASB and DLP is in essence that of an organization’s particular needs, its strategy in adopting the cloud, and its requirements concerning securing data. A better understanding of these solutions’ differences enables organizations to choose and protect their data under relevant regulatory requirements.

CASB vs DLP FAQs

Can CASB replace DLP or vice versa?

No, these are different security technologies that exist to fulfill different needs. CASB is about securing cloud-based applications and data, and DLP detects and prevents unauthorized data exposure. While it is a fact that CASB offers some features of DLP, it is not in any way a substitute for a dedicated DLP solution. At the same time, DLP won’t be able to replace the CASB solution. However, combining two technologies can ensure comprehensive security and compliance.

Are DLP and CASB the same?

DLP (Data Loss Prevention) and CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker) are not the same. DLP is meant to focus on the detection and prevention of unauthorized data exposure, while CASB secures cloud applications and data. CASBs offer features specific to the cloud, such as cloud-based data encryption and tokenization, that are very unlikely to be found in DLP solutions.

What are the 4 pillars of CASB?

The four pillars of CASB are as follows:

1. Data encryption: Involves the encryption of data in transit as well as at rest to ensure that wherever, between the environment of cloud and on-premises, data keeps moving, sensitive information remains secure. This includes data that rests in cloud storage services like Amazon S3 and Microsoft Azure Blob Storage, data in transit over the internet, and more.
2. Monitoring and Visibility: This provides real-time visibility for activities happening in the cloud through user behavior, data access, and use of cloud service. This will allow an organization to detect and respond to security threats and be able to establish gaps where policies on cloud security need to be reinforced.
3. Compliance and Governance: It’s in this module of cloud security that ongoing activities within the cloud setting must remain compliant with organizational policies, regulatory provisions, and industry standards. This shall include data loss prevention (DLP), cloud security posture management (CSPM), and cloud configuration compliance.
4. Control and Enforcement: This pillar properly enforces the correct cloud security policies and associated controls with such policies, including access controls, data retention policies, and data deletion policies; it also includes user authentication, authorization, and auditing, and the capability to block, or otherwise limit, access to cloud services in accordance with these policies.

What is the difference between DLP Vs CASB Vs Software as a Service (SaaS)?

CASB is a security solution that monitors and controls cloud-based applications and data, including how information is exchanged or transmitted between them by users. DLP is a technology designed to detect and prevent the unauthorized exposure of confidential data. SaaS refers to a model of software delivery whereby applications are remotely hosted and managed. CASB focuses on the security of the clouds exclusively and DLP focuses on simply data loss prevention internally and everywhere else.