Five DLPs in one. Single pass.
One engine protects data in one place across web, SaaS, IaaS, email and the endpoint, inspected once, governed by one policy, SASE-ready. Here is exactly how it fits together.
5-in-1, single-pass, SASE-ready.
Every device on the left reaches everything on the right through one engine in the middle. Hover or tap any capability to see what it does.
Find the sensitive data others miss.
Machine-learning models recognise content by type, not pattern, classifying data in motion and at rest, inline and via API, with no OCR or regex limits.
Document classifiers
Image classifiers
27+ identifiers and growing
Inline & API coverage
Classifies data in motion and at rest, including UEBA alerts for encrypted data movement.
No OCR or regex limits
Recognises content by type, removing pattern-match accuracy and performance constraints.
R103 model
An 80% increase in parameters resolves prior false positives, mainly on screenshots and IDs.
Three tiers of capability.
Proven detection across every channel
- ✓Data in motion and at rest for managed cloud, apps and email
- ✓40+ regulatory compliance templates
- ✓3,000+ data identifiers, 1,600+ file types
- ✓Custom regex, patterns and dictionaries
- ✓Pre-built document classifiers
- ✓Incident management and remediation
Machine learning finds what patterns miss
- ✓ML classification for patents, M&A, tax forms and source code
- ✓Image classifiers: screenshots, whiteboards, passports, IDs
- ✓Train your own classifiers on your data
- ✓UEBA alerts for encrypted data movement
Precision matching, false positives near zero
- ✓Exact data match against specific records
- ✓File fingerprinting with degree of similarity
- ✓Optical character recognition (OCR) inside images
Where Microsoft ends, Netskope extends.
Microsoft Purview DLP is strong inside the Microsoft estate. Netskope honours the same labels and carries enforcement everywhere Microsoft can’t reach. Here is who does what.
| Capability | Microsoft Purview DLP | Netskope |
|---|---|---|
Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, TeamsCore Microsoft 365 workloads | Native Built in from E3, the strongest place for Microsoft’s own DLP. | Complements Adds out-of-band CASB API scanning and a second enforcement point. |
Endpoint DLPUSB, copy/paste, print, local apps | E5 only Requires E5 / E5 Compliance, on Microsoft-managed Windows and macOS. | Native Endpoint DLP via the Netskope client, independent of Microsoft tier. |
Web & browser uploadsAny site, any browser | Limited Edge for Business only, via Endpoint DLP. | Extends Full inline SWG inspection of all web traffic, any browser, on or off network. |
Non-Microsoft SaaS70,000+ cloud apps | Via Defender Partial, through Defender for Cloud Apps. | Extends Inline and API DLP across sanctioned and shadow SaaS, with instance awareness. |
IaaS & cloud storageAWS, GCP, Azure buckets | Minimal Not a focus of Purview DLP. | Extends CASB API and DSPM scan data at rest across multi-cloud. |
Sensitivity labels (MIP)Classification & labelling | Native Microsoft creates and classifies; the label travels with the file. | Reads & enforces Consumes MIP labels and enforces them inline across every channel. |
Classification engineFinding the sensitive data | SITs + trainable Sensitive info types and trainable classifiers. | + SkopeAI Adds ML classifiers, exact match, fingerprinting and OCR for detection. Writing sensitivity labels automatically still relies on Microsoft Purview auto-labelling (E5). |
OCR & image recognitionData hidden in pictures | Limited Basic OCR on select paths. | Native OCR and image classifiers for IDs, screenshots and scans. |
Real-time inline controlBlock / coach in the moment | Mostly at rest Policy tips in Office apps; enforcement largely at rest and on endpoint. | Inline Real-time proxy enforcement with user coaching across all apps and web. |
BYOD & unmanaged devicesContractors, personal devices | Limited App protection policies, narrow scope. | Extends Reverse proxy and Enterprise Browser bring DLP to any device, agentless. |
Non-Microsoft file formatsBeyond Office | Office-centric Strongest on Microsoft Office formats. | 1,600+ types DLP across 1,600+ file types, including non-Microsoft formats. |
What Netskope does that Microsoft can’t alone
Real-time block and coach across 70k+ apps and the open web, not just Microsoft 365.
A single engine and policy for web, SaaS, IaaS, email and endpoint in one pass.
Protect data on unmanaged devices via reverse proxy and the Enterprise Browser.
SkopeAI ML, exact match, fingerprinting and OCR beyond pattern matching.
Device, USB and print control independent of the Microsoft licence tier.
CASB API and DSPM across AWS, GCP and Azure, not only Microsoft stores.
Netskope DLP runs independently of Microsoft, it inspects, classifies and enforces with its own engine, so no Microsoft DLP licence is required for it to work. Microsoft licensing only matters for how the two integrate:
- ✓To read & enforce Microsoft sensitivity labels, you need Purview Information Protection: manual labels from Microsoft 365 E3 or Business Premium; automatic and default labelling from E5 or the E5 Compliance add-on.
- ✓Microsoft’s own DLP covers Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams from E3; Endpoint DLP and on-premises require E5 / E5 Compliance.
- ✓Recommended pairing: E3 (or Business Premium) to create and apply labels, with Netskope enforcing them everywhere; step to E5 only where you want Microsoft auto-labelling at scale.
Indicative. A licensing review confirms the cheapest path for your tenant.
Microsoft classifies. Netskope enforces, everywhere.
Microsoft protects data well inside its own ecosystem. Netskope extends that protection to the other 70,000+ cloud apps and the open web, adds Endpoint DLP and full data-at-rest control via CASB API, and enforces every Microsoft label end to end.
Switched on all at once, DLP breaks things.
We take a balanced approach that protects data without slowing the business: start simple, refine, then add complexity, favouring in-the-moment user coaching over blunt block-or-allow, and scaling each stage only once it is adopted.
Coach in the moment, don’t just block.
Move beyond block-and-allow. Gain context into what users are doing and why, and steer them to sanctioned tools. Organisations typically cut shadow IT and duplicate app subscriptions by around 30% combining Netskope SWG and CASB with coaching.
Use an approved AI assistant
You’re about to paste client content into a personal ChatGPT account. Your sanctioned AI is Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT Enterprise, which keep matter data inside the tenancy.
High-risk storage detected
This file-sharing site is not approved for client data. OneDrive for Business gives every employee encrypted storage that meets our data-protection obligations.
This file matches a protected matter
The document matches a fingerprinted client dataset. Tell us why you need to proceed; your reason is recorded against the matter file.
Six things every DLP programme balances.
Accurately resolve and always protect your company’s data, everywhere it lives and moves.
Gain descriptive intelligence while screening behaviour that would put data at risk.
Inform risk by isolating exposure and acting across the whole estate.
Meet compliance, and manage the cost of non-compliance and reputation.
Risk-based scoring of activity and user behaviour to focus effort where it counts.
Control the means and the final stage of remediation and response.
One DLP policy across every channel.
Stop sensitive data leaving via the web, SaaS and AI.
Inline DLP for every session, with Microsoft labels honoured.
What is data loss prevention (DLP)?
Controls that detect sensitive content (financial, health, personal info, intellectual property) and block or warn when it is shared inappropriately. See our data protection page for the wider picture.
What does Netskope DLP cover?
Inline DLP for every web, SaaS and AI session. It sees data leaving via web upload, SaaS sync, browser paste, or AI prompt, and applies your policy in the data path.
How is it different to Microsoft Purview DLP?
Purview covers data inside Microsoft 365; Netskope covers data leaving via the rest of the internet. They complement; we usually deploy both.
Can it catch shadow AI use?
Yes. Inline DLP on prompts and uploads to ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and other public AI tools.
Does it use Microsoft sensitivity labels?
Yes. Netskope honours Microsoft Information Protection labels for unified policy across both engines.
How fast can we deploy it?
Most clients are inline within weeks. Full DLP rule design and tuning takes longer but goes live in stages.