What is sensitive data and how is it defined?

Sensitive data refers to any information that, if accessed or disclosed without authorization, could cause harm to an individual, organization, or entity. This type of data requires heightened protection due to its potential to lead to privacy violations, financial loss, identity theft, or reputational damage.

Definition and Examples

Sensitive data can be categorized into several types:

1. Personally Identifiable Information (PII) – Data that can identify an individual, such as:

   • Full name, Social Security Number (SSN), passport number
   • Home address, phone number, email address
   • Biometric data (fingerprints, facial recognition)

2. Financial Information – Data related to monetary transactions, including:

   • Bank account numbers, credit card details
   • Tax identification numbers, payroll records

3. Health Information – Medical records and health-related data, such as:

   • Patient diagnoses, treatment history
   • Insurance details, prescription records

4. Authentication Credentials – Information used to verify identity, including:

   • Passwords, PINs, security questions
   • API keys, encryption keys

5. Business Confidential Data – Proprietary or strategic information, such as:

   • Trade secrets, intellectual property
   • Internal business plans, customer databases

Protection Measures

Organizations must implement strict controls to safeguard sensitive data, including encryption, access restrictions, and compliance with regulations like GDPR or HIPAA. For example, a healthcare provider storing patient records must ensure data is encrypted both in transit and at rest, with role-based access controls to limit exposure.

In cloud environments, services like Tencent Cloud Key Management Service (KMS) can help manage encryption keys securely, while Tencent Cloud Data Security Center provides real-time monitoring and protection for sensitive data.