How to Get the Most Out of Your DSPM Tool
- Martin Snyder
- Jun 30
- 3 min read
Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) tools are quickly becoming must-haves for modern security teams. They promise visibility into sensitive data, the ability to track data flows across cloud environments, and the power to enforce data security policies at scale. But here’s the catch: DSPM tools are only as effective as the foundation they rest on.
Before you can truly harness the full potential of a DSPM solution, you need to ask yourself one critical question:
Do I know where all my data lives?
If you haven’t first mapped out your SaaS applications and cloud tenants, then the answer is likely "no."
Why SaaS and Cloud Discovery Comes First
DSPM tools depend on integrating with the right environments—cloud platforms, SaaS apps, collaboration tools, file shares, databases, and more. But in most organizations, shadow IT, decentralized decision-making, and rapid SaaS adoption make it nearly impossible to know what’s in use without proper discovery.
You Can’t Secure What You Haven’t Found
The average enterprise uses over 1,000 SaaS applications, yet only a fraction are visible to security and IT teams. If your DSPM tool isn't connected to those environments, it can't:
Classify sensitive data stored in them
Detect misconfigurations or access risks
Apply remediation or governance policies
According to Okta’s 2024 Business at Work Report, companies are adding SaaS tools faster than IT teams can secure them.
Cloud Misconfigurations Start with Unknown Tenants
Organizations often have multiple cloud accounts—sometimes spun up by development teams, business units, or external partners. If a DSPM tool doesn't know about these environments, it can't monitor them for policy violations, data exposures, or anomalous behavior.
The Cloud Security Alliance emphasizes that asset discovery is foundational to cloud risk mitigation.
The Foundation: SaaS and Cloud Discovery Tools
Before deploying a DSPM platform, take the time to run a discovery phase. You need a tool that can:
Automatically find connected SaaS applications (OAuth, SSO, API-based integrations)
Identify all IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS tenants used across departments
Flag high-risk or unknown tools
Solutions like Waldo Security’s SaaS Discovery offer a fast, no-SaaS-required way to scan your environment and surface these hidden tools. This discovery layer becomes your DSPM launchpad.
How to Align DSPM with SaaS and Cloud Discovery
Once you’ve mapped your environment, it’s time to align DSPM to the right assets.
1. Prioritize High-Risk Data Zones
After discovery, classify environments by risk. Focus your DSPM coverage on areas with:
High volumes of PII, PHI, or financial data
Weak access controls
Poor compliance alignment (e.g. no SOC 2, GDPR gaps)
Learn more from Gartner’s overview of DSPM.
2. Integrate Intelligently
Don't waste DSPM integrations on low-value apps. Instead, integrate with the platforms where visibility and policy enforcement matter most—especially those exposed via shadow IT.
For more on the scope of shadow IT, see Forrester’s research.
3. Continuously Reconcile Your Inventory
New SaaS tools appear constantly. Pair your DSPM deployment with a continuous SaaS discovery feed. This ensures you always know what your DSPM is missing—and can extend coverage as needed.
The Real ROI of DSPM Comes After Discovery
When organizations skip the discovery phase, they dramatically reduce the ROI of their DSPM investment. Blind spots remain. Policies are applied inconsistently. Sensitive data goes unmonitored.
But when DSPM is layered on top of accurate SaaS and cloud inventory, the benefits compound:
Accurate risk classification
Better policy coverage
Smarter remediation workflows
Stronger compliance posture
DSPM isn’t a silver bullet—but it becomes powerful when built on a strong discovery foundation. See how this aligns with the NIST Data Protection Framework.
Take the First Step
You wouldn’t install a home alarm system without knowing all the doors and windows. Why deploy a DSPM tool without discovering all your SaaS and cloud entry points first?
Start with visibility. Use Waldo Security’s free SaaS Discovery tool to map out your environment in minutes. Then, and only then, layer on DSPM for true end-to-end data protection.
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