If you wish to protect specific data in your company, you need to classify them first. Learn what data classifications are and how you can work with them in Safetica.
In this article, you will learn:
What are data classifications
Safetica can protect specific data from leaving your company. If you want to apply any restrictions to selected data only, you need to classify this data first.
Data classifications allow you to define what data is considered sensitive in your company (e.g., personal information, credit card numbers, outputs of certain applications, etc.). You can use data classifications in policies to detect and secure files that contain sensitive information.
Files can be classified based on their content, origin, file type, or pre-existing classification:
- Searching for sensitive content in files: Each file is analyzed whenever it's altered, ensuring that classifications are continuously current. A file might lose its classified status if it no longer contains sensitive information, and conversely, it can become classified upon including such data.
- Classifying data based on whether they were transferred at any point from a specific application, file path, or website: In cases where sensitive materials are non-textual (like technical drawings), their origin can be a defining factor. Files stored in specific locations, downloaded from certain websites, or exported from designated applications can be classified accordingly.
🍏MacOS devices: Exports from designated apps are currently not supported on macOS.
Learn more about the differences in features between Windows and macOS here.
3. Applying restrictions to defined file types: The strategies above can be further refined by incorporating a third approach: specifying the file type. This technique effectively reduces the scope of classified documents to only those likely to contain sensitive information.
4. Using third-party classification: Safetica Client can recognize metadata classifications from 3rd party classification tools and apply corresponding policies to the files.
All the above-mentioned approaches can be combined within one data classification.
Example:
An HR company that needs to protect CVs of their applicants can do that by defining text patterns that determine sensitive files (most common names, typical keywords used in CVs, etc.).
Similarly, a healthcare company needs to protect personal data of their patients. Safetica can help them with built-in algorithms of many countries’ ID numbers.
On the other hand, an engineering company might need to protect drawings that cannot be defined by their text content. They can, however, classify all files stored on a shared network drive where they keep these drawings.
How to work with data classifications
In the Data classification section, you can:
- See a list of data classifications you set up, when they were last edited, and whether they are enabled or disabled. You can also choose from predefined classifications prepared by Safetica (learn more here).
Data classifications are not prioritized, they are ordered alphabetically. Classifications are evaluated and protection is determined by linked protection policies and their priority.
3. Content analysis settings:
- Select what file types should Safetica analyze for sensitive content. Learn more here.
- Set up OCR. Learn more about OCR here.
4. Create new: Create a new data classification using predefined rules or create your own rules from scratch. Learn more about creating a new data classification here.
5. Use template: Simplify the data classification creation process by using Safetica’s predefined data classification templates. Learn more here.
If you want to learn how to use data classifications in policies, read this article.
FAQ
Q: Can Safetica classify databases?Q: Can Safetica integrate with existing data classification systems for content fingerprinting?
A: No, Safetica does not support content fingerprinting and does not integrate with content fingerprinting systems.
Q: Can Safetica scan/crawl network shares to classify files stored there?
A: No, that is usually not needed. Files are classified locally when a user downloads them from the network share to work with them.
Q: What file systems are supported for classifying files on network shares?
A: All network shares using the Samba protocol are supported.
Read next:
Data classification: What is Safetica unified classification?
Data classification: How to create a new data classification