IBM recognized as a Leader in IDC MarketScape 2025 Data Protection and Governance Services

We’re proud to announce that IBM has been named a Leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Data Protection and Governance Services 2025 Vendor Assessment (doc # US52973625, October 2025). We believe this recognition highlights IBM’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions that help organizations worldwide secure their data, strengthen privacy and continuously meet evolving governance standards.

For business and security executives, selecting the right partner is crucial—not just for compliance, but for building resilient, risk oriented and value-driven organizations. We believe the IDC MarketScape’s assessment underlines IBM’s capabilities as a strategic advisor, trusted innovator and highly skilled implementation partner, enabling clients to stay ahead in a complex and rapidly shifting regulatory and threat landscape.

We believe IBM is differentiated through its holistic approach to data protection, privacy and governance. As a strategic trusted partner for large-scale enterprise transformations, IBM brings together deep domain expertise, industry-leading technology, and a relentless focus on business outcomes. From our cyber strategy and governance through our data security practices we go beyond point solutions, offering end-to-end strategies tailored to each client’s needs.

Key strengths highlighted in the IDC MarketScape Report include:

• Business value-focused service delivery: IBM provides systematic and programmatic approaches to data security transformation that help clients avoid common pitfall of “ignore/or underestimate business impact of controls.” IBM places significant emphasis on change management and governance collaboration between various stakeholders and business functions for effective data security transformation. 
• AI governance and risk assessment excellence: In IDC’s August 2025 Data Protection and Governance Services Survey (n = 1,018), IBM received strong customer ratings for areas like data life-cycle management, data encryption and tokenization, data lineage and provenance, privacy program design, and privacy mapping and assessment. This recognition highlights IBM’s strong data privacy capabilities alongside data security protection. Especially for AI governance and AI data risk assessment services capabilities, IBM received excellent rating, which represents its solid competitive positioning in these areas. 
• Multiagent AI DLP innovation: This represents great innovation in data protection services through intelligent alert management systems that reduce operational overhead and accelerate incident response. IBM’s multiagent approach transforms traditional reactive DLP implementations into proactive, self-learning systems that provide automated response recommendations and reduce false-positive rates that typically overwhelm security operations teams.
• Post-quantum cryptography leadership: IBM Research provides significant value, building upon contributions to NIST-standardized post-quantum algorithms. This quantum-safe capability—combined with IBM’s cryptoagility approach—enables organizations to adapt quickly to new cryptographic standards as they emerge, positioning IBM ahead of market demand timing but ensuring future-proof data protection strategies.

IBM’s approach is grounded in anticipating change, whether in technology, regulations or threats. With a strong foundation in AI governance, advanced cryptography and business-aligned service models, IBM empowers organizations to protect what matters most, now and in the future.

We believe IBM’s recognition by the IDC MarketScape is a testament to our leadership and innovation in data protection and governance. Learn more about IBM’s solutions and discover how we can help you drive business value while navigating the challenges of an ever-changing digital landscape.

The excerpt is accessible here.

IBM Data & AI Security Services

IBM Cyber Strategy and Risk Offering