DSPM Inside and Out: TDF Extends Data-Centric Security Beyond the Perimeter

DSPM (Data Security Posture Management) solutions are some of the hottest companies in cybersecurity right now. We’ve written about companies like Cyera, Rubrik, and Varonis, who each create powerful frameworks for protecting data that companies possess internally, surfacing risk and enabling better data governance across enterprise environments.

However, we know that risk doesn’t end at the perimeter. Information is constantly in motion: shared, exported, and integrated with partners, clients, and external applications. Traditional DSPM platforms play strong defense to protect data within the bounds of the organization, but when data needs to leave? That’s where a a strong, offensive data-centric security approach must take over.

Data-Centric Security Is a Rising Tide, For Good Reason

The data-centric security movement recognizes that context-aware, persistent protection must accompany data wherever it travels. Unlike perimeter or environment-centric controls, data-centric security attaches security policies, access controls, and governance directly to the data itself. This model is swiftly gaining momentum, especially as secure collaboration and regulatory compliance become more acute challenges for organizations operating globally and across hybrid clouds.

The Trusted Data Format: Data Protection with Reach and Rigor

Enter Virtru and the Trusted Data Format (TDF), an open standard that extends the DSPM value proposition beyond internal mapping and monitoring, enabling end-to-end protection throughout the full data lifecycle.

TDF attaches granular, policy-driven access controls and rich metadata—think security labels, purpose tags, or retention policies—embedding governance directly within every file, message, or record. Those access controls put sensitive data “on a leash” when it needs to be shared externally, so you never have to sacrifice ownership or control when you collaborate externally. 

When data is tagged by a DSPM platform as “sensitive” or “regulated,” TDF can then be applied to that sensitive data when it is shared, giving security leaders the ability to enforce policy after DSPM has surfaced risk and classified assets — not just inside the perimeter, but in motion and at rest, anywhere the data travels.

Complementing DSPM with Permanent, Portable Protection

DSPM leaders like Cyera, Rubrik, and Varonis are making waves in:

•  Inventorying and classifying sensitive data assets
• Surfacing data exposures, misconfigurations, and potential compliance gaps
• Offering automated remediation recommendations within the organization’s internal estate

But when it's time to share that data externally, enforce jurisdictional controls for strict regulations like ITAR, or operate within compliance in the context of Zero Trust, these platforms need a fine-grained, persistent, and portable enforcement mechanism. This is where Virtru’s TDF-powered data security solutions shine.

With TDF, data tagged as sensitive in a DSPM workflow can gain permanent, portable protection. Organizations can share data with third parties or across business units, confident that the data remains encrypted and access is continuously governed by dynamic, centrally managed policies. Should access need to be revoked, changed, or audited, TDF allows for immediate, auditable enforcement—no matter where the data resides.

Benefits for Security Leaders 

For security practitioners focused on cross-border data flow and third-party risk, the combination of DSPM and TDF embodies the “defense in depth” model for the modern enterprise:

• Seamless Integration: TDF operates alongside DSPM investments, complementing and extending their value rather than replacing them. It integrates with commonly used business workflows, like email and file sharing platforms, to make secure collaboration effortless for users and recipients.
• Persistent, Data-Level Governance: Policy travels with the data, ensuring that context and ownership are never lost. Attribute-based access control allows fine-grained parameters around how and when data can be accessed. 
• Controlled Collaboration: Share information externally while maintaining strict access controls, visibility, and the possibility of rapid response (e.g., revocation).
• Audit Readiness: Dynamic policies and robust audit trails make compliance reporting far less painful, and in compliance contexts like HIPAA breach response, it can be a life-saver.

Respecting the Data Everywhere it Travels

As the market continues to evolve, we urge security leaders and analysts to view DSPM as the crucial first mile—discovering, classifying, and governing internal data risk. Virtru’s Trusted Data Format is your strategic partner for the last mile: when that data leaves — or needs to leave — the well-patrolled boundary of your internal environment.

Together, DSPM and TDF enable a future where data can be truly shareable and protected everywhere, not just within your organizational walls. That’s data-centric security that truly protects sensitive information end to end.

Interested in extending your DSPM initiatives with shareable, persistent data protection? Learn more about how Virtru’s Trusted Data Format can help your organization bridge the gap to true end-to-end data security and book a demo with our team.