Getting Started with PII Data Discovery Software

Published on July 1, 2024

In an era of rising data breaches and privacy concerns, protecting Personally Identifiable Information (PII) has become a top priority for organizations. In fact, it’s estimated that 87% of the U.S. population can be identified using just three pieces of PII: gender, zip code, and birth date.

For the data leaders charged with safeguarding this valuable information, effective PII data discovery is essential. This capability is used for identifying, classifying, and securing sensitive information to comply with data protection regulations and mitigate privacy risks.

This blog will guide you through the essentials of getting started with PII data discovery software, offering insights into its importance, key features to look for, implementation best practices, and how it can help safeguard your organization's data.

PII Data and the Right to Erasure

Many data privacy regulations, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) grant consumers specific rights to their personal data, including the right to deletion or erasure.

And for good reason, as people are increasingly demanding this right. Between 2015 and 2021, more than one million “right to be forgotten” or “right to erasure” requests were submitted to Google and Bing – and these requests increased each year, particularly in France, Germany, and the UK.

Besides consumer rights to delete, it is imperative to address deletion holistically, as regulators are pointing to the lack of data minimization within enforcement actions. For example, the FTC’s recent order against Blackbaud cited the lack of data minimization as an area that must be remedied under the order.

To meet this growing demand, data leaders need the right software to discover, tag, and manage PII data at scale. Let’s explore this journey and how it impacts customer experience.

Importance of PII data discovery

PII data discovery involves identifying and locating PII within an organization’s data assets. Effective PII discovery helps organizations:

Ensure Compliance: Meet regulatory requirements and avoid hefty fines associated with non-compliance.
Enhance Security: Protect sensitive information from data breaches and unauthorized access.
Streamline Data Management: Optimize data governance and management practices by understanding where PII resides.
Build Trust: Foster trust with customers by demonstrating a commitment to data privacy and security.

A data catalog is a critical component of effective PII data discovery, as it gives data stewards the tools they need to find, label, curate, and govern PII data at scale.

How PII data discovery software enhances data protection

Ensuring compliance

PII data discovery software helps organizations comply with various data protection regulations by providing visibility into where PII resides and how it is handled. Automated reporting and audit trails ensure that you can demonstrate compliance during regulatory reviews.

Reducing privacy risks through security

By identifying and securing PII, the software reduces the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access. Real-time monitoring and alerts enable proactive management of privacy risks, ensuring that sensitive information remains protected.

Improving data governance and data management

Effective PII data discovery supports better data governance by providing insights into data flows and usage patterns. This enables organizations to implement robust data management practices, enhance data quality, and optimize storage and processing.

Building customer trust

Demonstrating a commitment to data privacy through effective PII data discovery builds trust with customers and stakeholders. Transparency in how PII is handled and protected can enhance your organization's reputation and customer loyalty.

Key features of PII data discovery software

When selecting PII data discovery software, consider the following key features:

Comprehensive Data Scanning. The software should be capable of scanning all data repositories, including databases, file systems, cloud storage, and applications, to identify PII across the organization.
Advanced Classification. Look for tools that offer advanced classification capabilities, using machine learning and pattern recognition to accurately categorize PII.
Real-Time Monitoring. Real-time monitoring ensures continuous protection by detecting new PII as it is created or modified within your data environment.
Customizable Policies. The ability to define and customize data discovery policies based on your organization’s specific needs and regulatory requirements is crucial for effective data governance.
Automated Reporting. This provides detailed insights into PII data locations, helping you maintain compliance and improve data management practices.
Integration Capabilities. This ensures the software can integrate seamlessly with your existing data management and security tools, such as Data Loss Prevention (DLP) systems, to provide a unified approach to data protection.

When exploring PII data discovery software, data leaders should rate these criteria in order of importance, scoring each software they consider according to each capability to find the appropriate match.

Best practices for implementing PII data discovery software

Now that you’ve chosen your tool, it’s time to set it up. Here’s how to get started:

Assess Your Data Environment. Conduct a thorough assessment of your data environment to understand the types of PII you likely hold, in what volume, and where it is stored. This will help you tailor the PII data discovery software to your specific needs.
Define Clear Objectives. Set clear objectives for your PII data discovery efforts, such as improving compliance, enhancing security, or optimizing data management. Clear goals will guide the implementation process and help you to measure success.
Develop a Data Discovery Policy. Create a comprehensive data discovery policy that outlines how PII will be identified, classified, and protected. Ensure that this policy aligns with your applicable regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
Train Your Team. Provide training for your team on the importance of PII data discovery and how to use the selected software effectively. This will ensure that everyone understands their role in protecting sensitive information.
Start with a Pilot Project. Begin with a pilot project to test the software in a controlled environment. This will help you identify any potential issues and make necessary adjustments before a full-scale implementation.
Monitor and Adjust. Continuously monitor the performance of the PII data discovery software and make adjustments as needed. Regular audits and assessments will help maintain the effectiveness of your data protection efforts.

A data catalog can give you a unified view of how your efforts are tracking, with insights into consumption patterns, stewardship progress, and overall data minimization within your data privacy program.

Privacy by design: beyond compliance

To demonstrate compliance, every data privacy program should begin by leveraging privacy by design (PbD). With large volumes of data, PbD provides a strong foundation to contend with the ethical implications of storing peoples’ PII. To build such a framework, privacy expert Ann Cavoukian recommends leaders should embed privacy into “every standard, protocol, and process that touches our lives” with an eye to the following principles.

Proactive not reactive — Leaders must foresee and prevent privacy breaches before they occur.
Privacy as the default setting — Data teams must automatically protect personal data by default.
Privacy embedded into design — Organizations need to integrate privacy as a fundamental part of the data ecosystem’s core functionality.
Full functionality — Enterprises must seek to achieve both privacy and security without compromising either.
End-to-End Security — Data teams should ensure secure information management throughout the data lifecycle.
Visibility and Transparency — Data leaders need to promote accountability, trust, openness, and compliance.
Respect for User Privacy — Organizations should enable individuals to actively manage their personal data.

For businesses in the EU, PbD is not a “nice to have” – it’s a necessity. Article 25 of the GDPR calls for data protection by design and default. And yet, an unsettling trend persists in which organizations usually only do this if they have to. However, this is an important best practice. If your business was not following these principles and suffered a data breach, the lack of PbD would likely be cited by a regulator's enforcement action.

By enshrining these PbD principles into data management habits, leaders can make data privacy a key foundation for how people work with data, effectively protecting the organization from non-compliance.

Conclusion

Getting started with PII data discovery software is a critical first step in protecting sensitive information and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations. This is especially true, given that the vast majority of U.S. state data privacy regulations include requirements for the collection and processing of personal data that is “adequate, relevant, and reasonably necessary.” As an organization, it’s never been more important to know where your personal data lives to take action on the risks associated with it. By understanding the importance of PII data discovery, selecting the right software, and following best practices for implementation, organizations can enhance their data protection efforts and build trust with customers.

A robust data intelligence platform can play a key complementary role in this process. By providing comprehensive data scanning, advanced classification, real-time monitoring, and automated reporting, these platforms enable organizations to manage PII effectively and maintain high standards of data privacy and security.

Are you interested in learning how Alation can support your organization’s data privacy goals? Schedule a demo with us today.