Data Loss Prevention (DLP) has become a critical component of modern cybersecurity strategies, especially as organizations adopt cloud applications, hybrid work environments, and new AI-driven workflows. Cyberhaven is recognized for its data lineage capabilities, but it may not fully meet the needs of every organization, particularly if you require deep SaaS coverage, seamless user experiences, or broader deployment flexibility. Nightfall's data loss prevention platform provides a robust alternative. Below, we’ll explore common challenges with Cyberhaven and review five top alternatives—focusing on how they tackle DLP needs for security teams in 2025.
Common Challenges with Cyberhaven
- Detection gaps across SaaS and endpoints: Cyberhaven’s lineage approach is powerful for user behavior insights but can struggle to scan sensitive data within SaaS platforms or endpoint file uploads. Data classification is limited and prone to inaccuracies. Understanding the content is an important input to improving alert quality, as highlighted in this comprehensive overview of data protection. This creates gaps that sophisticated attackers may exploit.
- Visibility gaps across SaaS: Without a robust set of SaaS connectors, Cyberhaven can lose visibility when data is traversing in SaaS apps beyond the context of what the endpoint agent can see.
- Complex deployment and administration: Between endpoint monitoring, data lineage tracking, and third-party integrations, Cyberhaven requires significant planning, customization, and resources to run effectively at scale.
- Delayed remediation and high resource usage: Cyberhaven often provides post-event analysis, so blocking or quarantining data can occur after it’s been accessed or shared. This highlights the importance of solutions designed to prevent data exfiltration in real time.
- Security considerations: Cyberhaven experienced a security incident in which their Chrome extension was compromised in December 2024 which raises concerns about data security, especially in light of the sensitive nature of the services that Cyberhaven provides.
#1 – Nightfall AI (Best Overall)
Nightfall AI stands out for its AI-native, all-in-one approach, providing comprehensive, real-time coverage across SaaS apps, endpoints, AI apps, and more. Its frictionless deployment and automated remediation capabilities make it a top choice for organizations seeking an intuitive yet powerful DLP solution. Learn more about Nightfall AI.
Nightfall Pros
- Easy, seamless deployment: Rapid, organization-wide rollout with minimal configuration.
- Comprehensive coverage: Monitors all major exfiltration paths including SaaS, generative AI apps, and endpoint devices.
- Flexible policies: Enforce specific rules for user subsets, groups, or domains, ensuring tailor-made security.
- Robust remediation options: Manual or automated actions like blocking exposures or exfiltration attempts in real-time.
- Real-time notifications: Instant alerts for both security teams and end-users, reducing response times.
- Full data movement record: Tracks data from creation to exfiltration or exposure, aiding forensic analysis, as described in IBM's guide to data protection strategies.
- Seamless integrations: Connects to Okta, Entra ID, Google Directory, MDM solutions, SIEM, SOAR, and custom APIs.
Nightfall Cons
- No on-premise footprint: Primarily focused on cloud-hosted environments and endpoint devices, not ideal for organizations with strict on-prem requirements.
- Specialization: Specialized in DLP and insider risk management without broader categories like MDM.
Best Suited For
- Organizations needing rapid deployment and time to value: Those seeking quick implementation and minimal configuration.
- Organizations adopting AI: Businesses incorporating generative AI services that require specific DLP controls.
- Companies with hybrid workforces: Organizations with employees working remotely and accessing data from various locations.
- Those needing all-in-one DLP across SaaS, AI, and devices: Organizations with data scattered across cloud apps and endpoint devices that needs to be identified and protected.
Common Use Cases
- SaaS DLP monitoring: Protecting sensitive data within applications like Salesforce, Slack, Google Workspace, and others.
- GenAI data protection: Controlling the data shared with and received from AI services like ChatGPT and similar tools is made easier with Nightfall's integration with generative AI tools.
- Modern insider threat prevention: Detecting and preventing data exfiltration attempts by employees or contractors via cloud apps.
- Compliance with cloud regulations: Meeting regulatory requirements related to data security and privacy in cloud environments.
- Endpoint DLP: Protection of data on end user devices.
- Hybrid visibility: Gaining comprehensive visibility into data movement across SaaS and endpoint environments.
#2 – Code42 Incydr
Code42 Incydr emphasizes endpoint visibility and insider threat detection, often appealing to organizations managing large, distributed workforces. While it excels in file activity tracking, it has notable gaps in data classification and broader SaaS coverage.
Code42 Pros
- Strong endpoint monitoring: Real-time tracking of file movements, deletions, and downloads.
- Insider threat focus: Targets risky user behavior, a key element in data exfiltration attempts.
- Cloud integration: Offers some protection for Google Workspace, M365, Box, Dropbox, and Salesforce.
Code42 Cons
- Limited detection accuracy: No native OCR or exact data matching for structured info (e.g., credentials, PHI). High false positives from incomplete classification.
- Context & lineage gaps: Fails to track data modifications across SaaS apps, endpoints, and browsers. Lacks version history insight.
- Policy inflexibility: Pre-defined templates with no option for granular rules (user roles, risk scores, geographic conditions, etc.).
- Remediation constraints: Can only block USB or browser uploads, missing real-time prevention for printing, screenshotting, or cloud sync.
- Deployment complexity: Heavy endpoint agent consumes significant CPU and network bandwidth, complicating large-scale deployments.
Best Suited For
- Organizations with distributed workforces: Companies needing strong visibility into endpoint activity across many locations.
- Security teams focused on insider threats: Those prioritizing the detection and investigation of risky employee behavior.
- Companies in Mimecast ecosystem: Organizations that are broader customers of the Mimecast platform and would prefer to consolidate services to one vendor, prioritizing a suite over best-of-breed.
Common Use Cases
- Monitoring remote employee file activity: Tracking file movements, downloads, and deletions on employee devices, especially those working from home.
- Detecting data exfiltration by departing employees: Identifying and preventing attempts by departing employees to take sensitive data with them.
- Investigating potential insider threats: Using endpoint activity logs to investigate suspicious employee behavior that might indicate malicious intent.
- Auditing file access and modifications: Tracking who accesses, modifies, or deletes sensitive files on endpoints for compliance or security purposes.
- Protecting against data loss via USB drives: Blocking or monitoring data transfers to USB drives and other removable media.
#3 – Proofpoint ObserveIT
Proofpoint ObserveIT focuses primarily on user activity monitoring and insider threat detection. Its real-time behavioral analytics and forensic capabilities make it useful for organizations deeply concerned about risky end-user actions. However, it’s less robust in data classification or integrated cloud-based DLP.
Proofpoint ObserveIT Pros
- Immediate risk identification: Quickly identifies unusual or risky user behavior.
- Investigative context: Gathers rich context for investigations, including user activity records.
- Ecosystem synergies: Connects with other Proofpoint solutions and third-party security tools.
- Customizable rule sets: Allows for risk-based rules aligned with organizational needs and tolerance.
Proofpoint ObserveIT Cons
- Data classification shortcomings: Doesn’t classify sensitive data, leading to false positives if the system flags benign behavior.
- Reactive threat response: Detects threats but doesn’t actively block data exfiltration or exposure.
- Administrative hurdles: Some organizations find the administrative interface and policy setup challenging.
- Resource demands: Continuous monitoring can introduce resource strain, especially in larger deployments.
Best Suited For
- Security-mature organizations: Those with existing security infrastructure and teams equipped to handle alert investigations and manual remediation.
- Companies focused on forensic analysis: Organizations that prioritize detailed user activity logs for post-incident investigation and analysis.
- Organizations in Proofpoint ecosystem: Organizations that prefer to consolidate solutions within the Proofpoint ecosystem, prioritizing a suite over best-of-breed.
Common Use Cases
- Insider threat detection: Identifying and investigating anomalous user behavior that might indicate data theft or sabotage.
- Employee monitoring: Tracking user actions to ensure compliance with security policies and identify potential risks.
- Forensic investigations: Providing detailed user activity records to assist in incident response and legal investigations.
- Compliance auditing: Generating reports on user activity to demonstrate adherence to regulatory requirements.
- User behavior analytics: Identifying patterns of behavior that deviate from the norm and could pose a security risk.
#4 – Endpoint Protector
Endpoint Protector by CoSoSys provides content-aware protection, device control, and basic mobile device management, often appealing to organizations looking for straightforward endpoint DLP with some cloud integration.
Endpoint Protector Pros
- Unified suite: Offers content-aware protection, device control, and MDM within a single solution.
- Customizable rule sets: Tailor rules to unique organizational requirements and risk levels.
- Detailed visibility and analytics: Delivers detailed insights into potential risks, compliance issues, and user actions, following data protection and privacy best practices.
- Directory and tool sync: Seamlessly connects with Active Directory and compatible security tools to create a more unified environment.
Endpoint Protector Cons
- Advanced functionality gaps: Some enterprises may find it lacks deeper functionality (e.g., AI-driven detection, advanced SaaS coverage).
- User interface limitations: Hard to use without a modern interface.
- Resource demands: Initial scans and large-scale deployments can affect endpoint performance, requiring careful resource planning.
Best Suited For
- Small businesses (SMBs): Organizations looking for a simple endpoint DLP solution.
- Organizations with basic MDM needs: Companies that require simple mobile device management in addition to endpoint DLP.
- Active Directory environments: Those heavily reliant on Active Directory for user management and authentication.
Common Use Cases
- Preventing data loss via removable media: Blocking or monitoring data transfers to USB drives, external hard drives, etc.
- Controlling application usage: Restricting access to unauthorized applications or processes on endpoints.
- Enforcing data encryption: Ensuring sensitive data stored on endpoints is encrypted to prevent unauthorized access.
- Monitoring user activity: Tracking file transfers, application usage, and other user actions for compliance and security purposes.
- Simple mobile device management (MDM): Basic tasks like password enforcement, remote wiping, and application management.
#5 – Symantec DLP
Symantec DLP (now under Broadcom) remains one of the most recognized names in enterprise DLP, known for wide coverage of endpoints, networks, and cloud services. Larger organizations often choose Symantec DLP for its scalability and integration with other Symantec solutions, though it can be resource-intensive.
Symantec DLP Pros
- Extensive scope: Spans endpoints, networks, storage, and select cloud services for broad data protection.
- Unified administration: A unified console simplifies administration, enforcement, and policy management.
- Ecosystem synergies: Connects well with other Symantec (Broadcom) solutions and key third-party security tools.
- Scalability: Designed to handle large, global organizations.
- Regulatory adherence: Offers templates and policies that help address regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS, as outlined in this detailed overview of GDPR.
Symantec DLP Cons
- Implementation challenges: Can be challenging to set up and maintain, particularly for smaller teams.
- On-premise footprint: Often requires on-prem infrastructure, which adds overhead for updates and maintenance.
- Resource demands: May impact system performance in certain high-load environments.
- Cost considerations: Licensing and operational expenses can be steep for SMBs.
Best Suited For
- Large enterprises: Organizations with complex, global infrastructures and a need for DLP that can cover legacy tech stacks and environments.
- Existing Symantec users: Organizations already invested in the Symantec/Broadcom ecosystem who want to leverage existing integrations.
Common Use Cases
- Cross-border data transfer monitoring: Tracking and securing data as it moves between international offices and jurisdictions.
- Large-scale data repository protection: Safeguarding massive data stores on-premises or in cloud environments.
- Integrated security ecosystems: Organizations that rely on a unified security platform and need DLP to integrate with other tools like SIEM, firewalls, and email gateways.
Conclusion
Cyberhaven delivers valuable data lineage insights but may not cover every DLP need—particularly if you require real-time SaaS scanning, simpler deployment, or broader endpoint coverage. If you’re evaluating DLP solutions in 2025, consider the following:
- Nightfall AI (Best Overall): Excels with AI-based detection, comprehensive SaaS and endpoint coverage, and rapid deployment.
- Code42 Incydr: Ideal for insider threat detection with extensive endpoint monitoring, though it may lack advanced classification features.
- Proofpoint ObserveIT: Offers strong user activity monitoring and forensic capabilities; less effective at automated data protection.
- Endpoint Protector: Solid choice for straightforward endpoint-focused DLP, device control, and reporting.
- Symantec DLP: Proven enterprise solution with broad coverage, but potentially more complex and resource-intensive to manage.
By thoroughly assessing detection capabilities, remediation workflows, and ease of deployment, you’ll find the platform that best safeguards your organization’s sensitive data and helps you comply with data privacy regulations in an ever-evolving threat landscape, as explained in this expert overview of data protection.