The term “sensitive documents” refers to any data that a company would not want to let unauthorised individuals access. The information could harm the business if leaked to competitors, or cause harm to people if it was released to the public. The information could range from a company’s pre-release earnings statements that get into the hands of a competitor to confidential design and research documents that are shared with the wrong people.
It’s not easy to identify sensitive data in your company. The information you collect must be protected according to the laws such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). Your company receives personal data in many forms that include employees working remotely, credit card companies and other financial institutions, call centers and customer service organizations, as well as contractors. You should inventory all your files, folders and laptops, mobile devices and even your personal computers and flash drives to ensure that you have a complete view of what information your business is storing.
It’s also important to consider that any file you create could contain hidden metadata that could reveal sensitive information. This includes the use of geo-tagging, track changes, on photos, and embedded information in modern file formats. It is recommended to erase all hidden data from your files prior to when they are made available to the public. This can stop unauthorized users from accessing your sensitive information by making it look like it came from an inside source.
