1395 - Data tagging

Data tagging allows you to see how much of your backed-up data is highly sensitive or sensitive in nature. This means you can better manage your exposure and concentration of sensitive documents to protect data in the most efficient way.

This functionality can reveal that e.g. 90% of your most sensitive files are stored on a single machine, or that e.g. 75% of your Google Workspace data is highly sensitive. The data tagging process is completely automated and no user input is required, although you do have the option to manually change the classification of any file or selection of files, e.g. from highly sensitive or sensitive to unclassified (non-sensitive). 

Data tagging is available for machines, Microsoft 365, and Google Workspace, and covers the following file types:

• DOC
• DOCM
• DOCX
• PDF
• PPT
• PPTM
• PPTX
• RTF
• XLS
• XLSB
• XLSM
• XLSX

Please note: We cannot scan or classify any documents that are password-protected.

How does data tagging work?

The data is decrypted and sent securely (using SSL encryption) to the feature extraction engine, where it is scanned within milliseconds. The data remains encrypted on the customer machine and in the backup. Encryption keys remain encrypted using the OS API so that they cannot be accessed by any Redstor employee.

The data is then classified based on criteria outlined in the GDPR, FOI and POPIA regulations. Since the identifiers that make a file highly sensitive or sensitive are functionally the same for any data protection regulation, our system is also useful if you are not governed by one of the three aforementioned regulations/laws. 

How to use data tagging

1. To see tagged files for all your customers, go to Customers on the RedApp home page.

2. On your customer overview, locate the Sensitive files card. This will show you any highly sensitive or sensitive files that have been found in your data estate. Click on View to see details.

Note: To see the tagged files for an individual customer, open the overview for that customer, then go to Sensitive files > View and proceed as below.

3. The classification tag for each file can be seen in the last column. If you want to change the classification of a file, click its menu to the right and go to Edit tag.

4. Select the new classification for the file and click Apply.

5. Click Change to confirm. 

The file's classification will be updated.

6. To see tagged files from a specific service only, click on the filter icon next to the search field.

7. Select the product, service, and file classification/s you want to see. You can also specify a date range. When you're ready, click Apply filters.

You will then see only the relevant results.