What is Sensitive Data Discovery?
Sensitive Data Discovery refers to the process of identifying and locating sensitive information within an organisation’s network. This information could include financial data, personal information, intellectual property, and confidential business information. The goal of Sensitive Data Discovery is to make it easier to protect sensitive information and create the basis for processing of sensitive data.
GDPR and Sensitive Data Discovery
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). It came into effect on May 25, 2018. Under the GDPR, companies are required to take appropriate measures to protect sensitive personal data. This includes, among other things, the implementation of technical and organisational measures to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of sensitive personal data. It is important for businesses to understand their obligations under the GDPR. Failure to do so may result in fines and damage to the company’s reputation.
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How to find your sensitive data
There are generally two different methods of finding sensitive data:
- Manual data localisation
- Sensitive Data Discovery tool
Manual data localisation involves reviewing and scanning through the data stored within an organisation’s network to identify sensitive information. This method is time-consuming and prone to human error, but it can be useful for small organisations with limited data sets.
Sensitive Data Discovery tools automate the process of discovering sensitive data. These tools use advanced algorithms to scan and identify sensitive information within an organisation’s network. This method is more efficient and effective than manual data discovery and is suitable for large organisations with complex data sets. Sensitive Data Discovery services are provided by third-party companies that specialise in Sensitive Data Discovery. These companies offer a range of services, including data discovery audits, data discovery assessments, and data discovery software. Data discovery services are ideal for organisations that lack the expertise or resources to look for sensitive data themselves.
What a tool can do for you
A Sensitive Data Discovery tool is designed to help organisations identify and classify sensitive data within their systems, including data stored on servers, cloud storage, and end-user devices. Some of the key benefits of using a tool for finding your sensitive data tool include:
- Data Classification: The tool helps to identify sensitive data and classify it based on the level of sensitivity and risk associated with it. This makes it easier to determine which data needs to be protected and how it should be protected.
- Compliance: The tool helps organisations to comply with various regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS, by identifying sensitive data that needs to be protected.
- Data Loss Prevention: The tool helps to prevent sensitive data from being accidentally leaked or intentionally stolen by detecting data that is being moved outside the organisation’s network, and taking appropriate action.
- Data Management: The tool provides a centralised view of sensitive data, making it easier for organisations to manage, monitor, and control access to sensitive information.
- Threat Detection: The tool can help organisations detect potential threats to sensitive data by monitoring for suspicious activity and alerting security teams when necessary.
Overall, a tool for discovering sensitive data can provide organisations with a comprehensive solution to manage sensitive data, ensuring that it is protected, and helping organisations to comply with regulations and prevent data breaches.
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How to get started with Sensitive Data Discovery
At Safe Online we specialise in Sensitive Data Discovery. Our most popular tool for processing sensitive personal data is DataMapper. This tool is a service that first and foremost a build for locating sensitive data across a company’s local or cloud-based data storages. DataMapper is developed especially for SMBs.
Sebastian Allerelli
Founder & COO at Safe Online
Governance, Risk & Compliance Specialist
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