Data Classification Strategy
Data classification offers a standard starting point for governance and helps you to assess and give value to your organization’s data. In order to detect hazards, the data categorization process divides data into categories based on sensitivity and business effect. Furthermore, after data has been classified, you may manage it in ways that prevent sensitive or critical data from being stolen or lost.
Understand data risks, then manage them
Any danger must first be recognized before it can be addressed. That knowledge begins with data classification in the event of data breach responsibility. Data categorization, on the other hand, is the process of assigning a metadata characteristic to each asset in a digital estate that specifies the sort of data it contains.
Furthermore, each asset identified as a candidate for cloud transfer or deployment should have documented metadata to track data categorization, business criticality, and billing responsibility. These three categorization criteria might help you better understand and mitigate hazards.
Classifications Microsoft uses
Data categorization standards may already exist inside your business, depending on your sector or current security needs. If no standard exists, you can use this sample categorization to better understand your own digital estate and risk profile if none exists.
- Firstly, Non-business: Data from your personal life that doesn’t belong to Microsoft.
- Secondly, Public: Business data that is freely available and has approval for public consumption.
- Thirdly, General: Business data that is not for a public audience.
- Then, Confidential: Business data that can cause harm to Microsoft if overshared.
- Lastly, Highly confidential: Business data that would cause extensive harm to Microsoft if overshared.
Tagging data classification in Azure
You can use resource tags to apply data categorization information to deployed resources, and they’re a useful way to store metadata. Although categorizing cloud assets isn’t a substitute for a comprehensive data categorization procedure. However, it is a useful tool for controlling resources and enforcing policies. However, regardless of where the data gets store, Azure Information Protection is a great way to help you categorize it.
Take action
Take action by defining and tagging assets with defined data classification.
- Firstly, choose one of the actionable governance guides for examples of applying tags across your portfolio.
- Secondly, review the recommended naming and tagging conventions to define a more comprehensive tagging standard.
Reference: Microsoft Documentation