In-Depth Forcepoint DLP Review in 2024

In the quest for data security, many companies are relying on data loss prevention or DLP software vendors to safeguard one of their most valuable assets: data. However, with all the options on the market, sometimes it can be difficult to find the right fit for your business needs. Forcepoint DLP is a popular name that claims to offer enterprise DLP software, among other security solutions.

In this article, we put Forcepoint DLP under the microscope and analyze it based on different data sources. We offer an overview of the company based on the analysis of thousands of customer reviews from different platforms. We also look into its features and some alternatives.

Forcepoint DLP company overview

Based in Austin, Texas, Forcepoint DLP claims to focus on user and data security, offering various data security, data loss prevention products, and other solutions to different industries such as government, healthcare, and finance. The company has between 1000 and 5000 employees.

Forcepoint DLP offerings

Forcepoint claims to offer data security solutions, including an enterprise data loss prevention (DLP) product, aimed at catering to the different needs of organizations. Its offerings fall under 2 umbrellas: data security solutions and network and threat protection solutions. The company also claims that its solutions are powered by automation.

In addition to its core product offerings, Forcepoint also provides solutions for:

• Data visibility
• Data classification
• Insider threat
• Risk adaptive measures

Detailed analysis of Forcepoint DLP

To gain a balanced perspective on Forcepoint DLP’s performance, it’s necessary to examine feedback from actual users alongside its comprehensive suite of features and tools. A thorough overview of customer reviews highlights both the negative and positive aspects of Forcepoint DLP, providing valuable insights into the product’s real-world performance.

In this section, we analyzed multiple customer reviews from review platforms like G2, Gartner, TrustRadius, and Capterra to find the pros and cons of working using Forcepoint DLP’s products

Pros and cons of using Forcepoint’s DLP solution

This section analyzed multiple reviews from review platforms and picked the most comprehensive ones.

1. Strong protection, limited device control

A customer liked Forcepoint DLP’s strong policies, incident detection, ease of use, and effectiveness in web and endpoint protection, but criticized its lack of device control features and support for Linux operating systems like CentOS and Ubuntu.¹

2. Friendly interface, lacking features and support

A customer found its data loss prevention product’s interface user-friendly but criticized its ineffective machine learning and OCR features, as well as poor customer support.²

3. Strong forensics, whitelisting and fingerprinting concerns

Customers like Forcepoint’s product for its tracking of removable media incidents and thorough forensic capabilities. However, its data loss prevention product’s criticisms include restrictive whitelisting, hindering complex rule applications, and an overly sensitive fingerprinting function that mistakenly flags similar files, affecting productivity.³

4. Interface, rule management, and limitations

While customers appreciate Forcepoint’s powerful and intuitive interface, ease of rule management, and capability to secure data in transit, including encryption for email attachments, they express concerns over its limitations. Criticisms include the inability to fingerprint certain databases without explanation, lack of OCR and AI features for enhanced data analysis and alert generation, and inconsistent effectiveness of rule sets, particularly with images.⁴

Summary of the analysis

Given the mix of positive and negative feedback, potential customers should carefully evaluate whether Forcepoint DLP’s strengths align with their organization’s specific needs and whether the noted drawbacks are deal-breakers. For organizations with complex IT environments, high reliance on Linux, or those in need of advanced machine learning and OCR capabilities, the limitations of Forcepoint DLP might pose significant challenges.

Furthermore, the reported issues with customer support suggest that organizations requiring frequent and effective support might want to consider other options. It’s advisable to conduct a thorough assessment, possibly including a pilot test, to determine if Forcepoint DLP meets your requirements before making a purchasing decision.

Top 3 Forcepoint DLP alternatives & competitors

In the domain of data loss prevention and security, assessing various solutions before choosing one is of utmost importance. Comparison with other data loss prevention solutions provides valuable insight into the unique points of Forcepoint DLP and where it falls short.

Here is a brief list of the top 3 alternatives and their solutions as claimed on their websites:

1. Endpoint Protector by CoSoSys

Endpoint Protector is a suitable alternative to Forcepoint DLP since it also offers a data loss protection product, among other data security solutions such as device control, content-aware protection, enforced encryption, and eDiscovery. The company is based in North Carolina.

2. Symantec DLP by Broadcom

Based in California, Symantec is also a DLP vendor and a suitable alternative to Forcepoint DLP. Its other solutions fall under the information security and web security categories.

3. Safetica

Safetica is also a vendor of a data loss prevention solution. Its other solutions include Data discovery and classification, insider risk management, user and workplace audit, and regulatory compliance.

Further reading

• 14 Data Loss Prevention or DLP Best Practices
• Tackling Critical Data Protection Challenges

If you need further help in finding a vendor or have any questions, feel free to contact us:

External resources

• 1. Forcepoint customer review 1. G2. Accessed: 31/Jan/2024.
• 2. Forcepoint customer review 2. Gartner. Accessed: 31/Jan/2024.
• 3. Forcepoint customer review 3. TrustRadius. Accessed: 01/Feb/2024.
• 4. Forcepoint customer reviews accumulation. Capterra. Accessed: 01/Feb/2024.