The data resources of an organization are one of its most valuable assets. Except for its people, the information contained in enterprise databases and how it is used is one of the most differentiating factors when comparing similar companies. Productive utilization of data assets through analytics can result in obtaining substantial competitive advantages in the marketplace.

Information streams such as big data and the Internet of Things (IoT) have increased the volume of data, its diversity, and the rate at which it is generated and collected. The differences in structured and unstructured data elements further complicate thoroughly processing and categorizing the information that ends up in databases of an organization.

Not all data is of equal importance to the entities responsible for its creation and storage. In particular, personally identifiable information (PII) needs to be handled more securely than the average data. In this whitepaper, we will discuss the methods and techniques that should be used to protect PII to safeguard the individuals identified by the data and the organizations that store these resources in enterprise databases.

This whitepaper describes what personally identifiable information is, categorizing data resources, steps to protect PII and sensitive PII in databases, identifying the PII collected and stored by the organization, locating where PII is stored, classifying data sensitivity, developing an acceptable usage policy, and encrypting PII and sensitive PII. The whitepaper also presents deleting obsolete PII, reviewing and resolving permission errors, educating employees regarding PII, creating standard procedures for employees leaving the organization, reasons to protect PII and sensitive PII, and tools for protecting PII and SPII in databases.

Presenter: Robert Agar

Robert Agar spent a long and diverse career specializing in data backup, recovery, and compliance among other areas of the IT world. Tired of being woken up at all hours to provide support, he embarked on a new career as a freelance writer focusing on various areas of the tech sector. Outside interests include music, sports, and poker. He shares his home office with two green-cheeked conures who suggest topics and engage in the occasional proofreading exercise.

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Topics: Database Compliance, Database Security
Products: SQL Compliance Manager, SQL Secure