Data Classification

Standard data classification include the following categories: Public information. Data in this category is typically maintained by state institutions and subject to disclosure of public data as part of certain laws. Confidential information. This data may have legal restrictions about the way it is handled, or there may be other consequences around the way confidential data is handled. Sensitive information. This data is any information stored or handled by state or other institutions that have authorization requirements and other rules around its use. Personal information. Generally, personal information or PII is protected by law and must be handled following certain protocols. [...]

Systematic classification of data helps organizations manipulate, track and analyze individual pieces of data. Data professionals typically have a specific goal when categorizing data. The goal affects the approach they take and the classification levels they use. Some common business objectives for these projects include the following: Confidentiality. A classification system safeguards highly sensitive data, such as customers' personally identifiable information (PII), including credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, and other vulnerable data types. Establishing a classification system helps an organization focus on confidentiality and security policy requirements, such as user permissions and encryption. Data integrity. A system that focuses on data [...]

Data classification is the process of organizing data into categories that make it easy to retrieve, sort, and store for future use. A well-planned data classification system makes essential data easy to find and retrieve. Generally, this is of particular importance for risk management, legal discovery, and regulatory compliance.