Data loss prevention (DLP) remains essential for protecting sensitive information, but the landscape is rapidly evolving. Modern enterprises require DLP solutions that not only enforce policy, but also provide visibility into cloud services, SaaS applications, collaboration tools, and endpoints — all while addressing insider risk and emerging threats.
Today, effective data protection goes beyond traditional DLP. Security teams are increasingly combining DLP, data security posture management (DSPM), and insider risk management (IRM):
- DLP enforces rules to prevent data loss or exfiltration
- DSPM identifies where sensitive data resides, is moving, and its classification
- IRM provides behavioral context to detect risky user actions
In this guide, we review the top Trellix (formerly McAfee) DLP alternatives and competitors, assessing each solution’s ability to protect modern enterprise data environments and support context-aware, risk-driven security strategies.
How We Evaluated These DLP Solutions
To provide a comprehensive comparison of Trellix (formerly McAfee) DLP alternatives, we evaluated each platform using criteria aligned with modern data protection requirements:
- Coverage Across Environments: Endpoints, cloud services, SaaS apps, email, and collaboration platforms.
- Data Awareness and Context: Ability to classify sensitive data and understand user activity in context.
- Cloud and SaaS Readiness: Native support for cloud-first architectures and API integrations.
- Detection Accuracy: Actionable alerts with low false positives for efficient response.
- Deployment and Operations: Time to value, ease of management, and integration with existing security tools.
- Scalability and Enterprise Fit: Performance at scale, compliance support, and suitability for regulated organizations.
This framework ensures organizations can evaluate DLP alternatives not just by coverage, but by how well they integrate into broader data security strategies.
Trellix (McAfee) Data Loss Prevention Alternatives
1. Cyberhaven: Best Modern DLP Alternative to Trellix
Cyberhaven is an advanced cloud-based solution that combines traditional endpoint data loss prevention with insider threat protection. This comprehensive platform empowers security administrators to swiftly detect instances of sensitive data exposure within applications and trace the sequence of end-user behaviors leading to these incidents on endpoints and in the cloud using APIs. The app lets you use automation to enable remediation of any incidents. Additionally, this information can quickly be passed on to your SIEM to provide detailed notifications. With its sophisticated content classification and meticulous monitoring of file events, Cyberhaven enables automatic logging and immediate intervention when users engage in prohibited actions. Notably, Cyberhaven stands out by leveraging browser data to enhance SaaS app visibility and reinforce security policies, effectively mitigating the risks of data leakage, exfiltration, data security incidents that would result in regulatory fines.
2. Forcepoint DLP
Forcepoint Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is a security solution designed to protect sensitive information and prevent data breaches. Its capabilities include fingerprinting, discovery tasks, email security, device information theft protection, and more. It offers scalability and customization options, allowing organizations to tailor the solution to their specific needs. However, there are some cons to consider, such as the complexity of deployment on multiple servers, the need for improvements in data discovery and machine learning techniques, and potential challenges with the user interface and local support experience. Additionally, the pricing structure may be more suitable for larger enterprises than for small to medium-sized businesses. Overall, Forcepoint’s DLP solution offers robust data protection functionality and workflows, but it requires technical understanding and careful consideration of its implementation and support aspects.
3. Symantec DLP
Broadcom Symantec DLP offers a data loss prevention solution with a suite of cybersecurity tools. Its strengths lie in its ability to prevent, detect, and respond to potential data loss across various endpoints, such as email, web browsers, and USB devices. Leveraging advanced behavioral analytics, it effectively identifies and classifies sensitive data in real-time, providing enhanced data security. The solution’s scalability caters to businesses of all sizes, and its integration capabilities with other security solutions further enhance its data protection capacities. However, the initial setup and configuration can be complex and resource-intensive, requiring specialized support. Additionally, occasional false positive flags and limited support for cloud storage and Mac systems are areas for improvement. Overall, Symantec DLP is a powerful tool in the cybersecurity landscape, providing comprehensive data protection with some considerations for implementation and certain feature limitations.
4. Digital Guardian
Digital Guardian’s endpoint protection offers data classification to help identify PII and other sensitive data, effective and reliable detection processes, and robust data monitoring capabilities, contributing to its strengths in database efficiency and endpoint security. It also boasts flexible controls for business eligibility and a cloud-focused delivery model that enhances its efficiency. However, users have noted in some cases it can cause undesirable effects in other programs, generate excessive false positives if not properly tuned, and sometimes has high resource usage on endpoints.
5. Code42
Code42’s Incydr platform offers a solution for risk detection, particularly suited to addressing insider threats and file exfiltration risks in remote work environments. With its monitoring of file events and use of AI and machine learning, Incydr provides visibility into potential intellectual property theft or file exposure. The platform’s ability to classify data based on file information, vector information, and user information enhances its detection capabilities. Notably, Incydr’s integration with various systems and its focus on monitoring high-risk employees contribute to its effectiveness in providing information protection. However, challenges have been reported in the distribution process and the filtering of data, which can result in a laborious setup and difficulty in excluding specific data from monitoring. Despite these limitations, Incydr’s strengths lie in its ability to identify and respond to data theft or active exfiltration events, providing a valuable tool for organizations seeking to enhance their data security measures.
Compare Modern DLP Alternatives to Trellix
Ready to move beyond legacy DLP? Request a demo to see how Cyberhaven combines insider risk management, data lineage, and data loss prevention into a single platform.
Trellix DLP Alternatives Frequently Asked Questions
Is DLP still relevant in cloud environments?
Yes — modern DLP must extend beyond endpoints and networks, providing visibility and enforcement across cloud and SaaS platforms.
How does DLP differ from DSPM and IRM?
DLP enforces policies, DSPM discovers and classifies sensitive data, and IRM analyzes user behavior to detect insider risk. Together, they form a comprehensive data protection strategy.
What features matter most in a modern DLP solution?
Key features include cloud/SaaS coverage, contextual detection, accurate classification, low false positives, scalability, and ease of deployment.
How do I choose the right DLP alternative?
Evaluate solutions based on coverage, context-awareness, deployment complexity, scalability, and alignment with modern data workflows.
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