Solutions of this type are designed to locate and classify Personally Identifiable Information (PII) across an organization’s data landscape. Such tools scan various data repositories, including databases, file systems, and cloud storage, to identify sensitive data elements like names, addresses, social security numbers, and credit card details. For example, a scan might identify an unsecured spreadsheet containing customer names and email addresses residing on a shared network drive.
The application of this technology is essential for compliance with data privacy regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA. It helps organizations understand where sensitive data resides, reducing the risk of breaches and enabling better data governance. Historically, identifying PII was a manual and time-consuming process; these automated solutions offer a more efficient and accurate approach, providing a critical layer of data security.