eCommerce businesses deal with massive amounts of data, including sensitive data that needs to be protected. Data scanning allows businesses to wade through sensitive data, such as digital assets, personally identifiable information (PII), electronic health records, and more. With the right data scanning tools, eCommerce businesses can protect the security of their data, customers' information, and overall operations. » New to data privacy? Explore this guide to eCommerce data privacy↗
What Is Sensitive Data?
Sensitive data↗ is private information that must be kept secure and away from unauthorized access. If not, consequences can include financial loss, damaged reputations, diminished competitive advantage, and compromised security and privacy. Sensitive data encompasses a wide range of information types and includes both original and copied versions. This category of data typically contains the following:
- Protected health information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996↗ (HIPAA)
- Education records under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974↗ (FERPA)
- Financial customer information under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act↗ (GLB)
- Cardholder data under the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard↗ (PCI DSS)
- Confidential personnel information under the State Personnel Act↗
- Confidential information under the North Carolina Public Records Act↗
- Sensitive personal data under the EU General Data Protection Regulation↗ (GDPR)
How Does Sensitive Data Affect eCommerce?
In the digital age, sensitive data risks being exposed in many ways. Hackers can access systems and databases using various techniques, including phishing scams, malware infections, and other vulnerabilities. Once they have access, they can steal or modify customer information, causing serious damage to an eCommerce business. Sensitive data scanning is a critical component of risk management in eCommerce. By identifying and protecting sensitive data, businesses can reduce the chances of data breaches↗ or other security incidents. Additionally, they can ensure compliance with industry standards, CCPA↗, HIPAA, or GDPR and help safeguard customer trust and confidence. » Worried about your store's data security? Address these essential eCommerce data privacy issues↗
5 Useful Sensitive Data Scanning Tools
Sensitive data discovery tools help you find unknown sources of sensitive data within your organization and assess the associated risk levels. Here are some sensitive data scanning tools you can use to protect your data and ensure compliance:
1. PieEye Data Scanner↗
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2. Datadog Sensitive Data Scanner↗
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3. ManageEngine DataSecurity Plus↗
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4. Spirion Sensitive Data Manager↗
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5. N-able Risk Intelligence Software↗
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Conclusion
Whether you are concerned about data breaches, non-compliance risks, or simply want to strengthen your organization's security posture, using a sensitive data scanning tool can help. There are many options available today, including the options we discussed above. Whatever your needs, there is likely a tool out there that can help. So, consider investigating these options to find the right one for you! » Does data privacy increase customer trust? Discover data privacy practices for gaining customer trust↗