Data Security
Data Classification Gaps
Data you cannot classify, you cannot protect.
What it is
Without a functioning data classification framework, DLP rules have no basis for policy and DSPM has no sensitivity labels to enforce access against. Most organisations have classification policies on paper but inconsistent or absent enforcement. Classification labels assigned at creation are frequently lost as data is copied, transformed, or migrated to new platforms. Unclassified sensitive data accumulates in shared drives, email archives, and cloud storage.
Attack techniques
- Unclassified PII/PCI data in shared storage
- Classification labels not propagated on copy/export
- No automated discovery of sensitive data
- Inconsistent labelling across business units
Business impact
Unclassified data cannot be protected by DLP or DSPM controls — it is invisible to policy enforcement regardless of how well those controls are configured.