Data Classification

Data classification scans the contents of the systems you connect to MineOS and identifies the personal and sensitive data they hold, such as names, email addresses, government IDs and payment card numbers. Instead of relying on questionnaires or assumptions about what a system stores, you get evidence taken from the data itself.

Why Run Data Classification

Know what personal data you actually hold. System owners often don't know everything a database or file share contains. Data accumulates in places nobody planned: a free-text notes field, an old export, a test table copied from production. Classification shows what is really there and where.

Keep your records of processing accurate. GDPR Article 30 requires a record of the categories of personal data you process. Classification results give that record a factual basis, and rescanning helps you keep it current as your systems change.

Find data you shouldn't be keeping. GDPR's data minimization and storage limitation principles (Article 5(1)(c) and (e)) ask you to hold only the personal data you need, for only as long as you need it. Classification surfaces sensitive data in unexpected places so you can delete or restrict it.

Prioritize by sensitivity. Each data type MineOS finds is tagged with the frameworks it falls under, such as PII, payment card data (PCI), GDPR special category data and CPRA sensitive personal information. This helps you focus security controls and risk assessments on the systems that matter most.

Respond faster to incidents and requests. When you know where sensitive data lives, you can assess the impact of a security incident quickly and find a data subject's information when a request comes in.

How Data Classification Works

1. Connect a data source. Add the system to your Inventory and set up its integration, selecting Scan this source using Data Classifier.
2. Turn on Preview mode (optional). If you want to see sample values next to your results, enable Preview mode before the scan runs. Scans that already ran don't include sample values.
3. Let MineOS scan. For most sources, MineOS uses Smart Sampling: it reads a representative sample of records from each table, collection or folder rather than every record, so scans stay fast and light on your systems.
4. Review the results. Go to Data mapping → Data classifications and open the data source. The Data types view lists each type of data found, how many matches were found and which frameworks apply. The Schema view shows where each finding sits in the source's structure, such as the table and attribute.

Connecting Systems on a Private Network

If a system MineOS needs to scan sits behind a firewall or on a private network, set up network access before connecting it:

• IP & Email Whitelisting: allow the MineOS static IPs in your firewall.
• VPN Tunneling: connect MineOS to your private network through a secure IPSec tunnel.

Need Help?

If you need any help with data classification, please contact your Customer Success Manager. They will be happy to assist you!