Data Discovery Terminology Guide

Classification Profile

A profile represents a group of associated or related classifiers based on a particular need, law, or framework, threshold level, or targeted data sample set.

Classifier

A classifier is a type of algorithm or model used in machine learning to categorize or classify data into different classes or categories. The goal of a classifier is to predict the category to which a new, unseen data point belongs based on its features. Once a data source is scanned, you can approve, flag for review, reject, or delete the recommended classification to accurately label your data assets and help manage your data landscape.

They can be used generally for multiple types of personal information. A good example is the Postal Code classifier, which could be mapped to either the US Zip Code or UK Postal Code classifier.

Classification Tag

A label assigned to data assets or business terms that helps define or describe the data they represent.

Connector

The software component and technical functionality that enables the integration and interaction between the data discovery tool and various data sources. The connector's primary function is to facilitate access to data stored across different systems, databases, or platforms, enabling exploration, analysis, and classification within the Data Discovery module.

Credentials

Method for authenticating and connecting with external data sources to scan and discover data.

Custom Classifier

Uniquely created algorithm or discovery pattern to account for unique data samples present in your organization's data sources. This allows you to detect common data using a combination of patterns or dictionary values, classifying them based on your supplied conditions or matching requirements. Users can also copy a System Classifier's detector template to improve or customize the detector options available for those labels.

Data Asset

The representations of the physical, technical systems and objects within an organization's data sources that store/process the data. The structure and hierarchy of data assets help define the technical details of a data dictionary.

Data Source

A reference to external systems that are integrated with OneTrust that contain data to be scanned and classified, and further advance their automation tasks, request fulfillment, data mapping, and governance objectives.

Detector Rules

The automation logic behind Detectors, detector rules are run automatically in sequential order when a data entity sample matches the supplied detector type values. The rules will check multiple contextual clues to refine the likelihood that the PII was matched by a base detector (e.g., the column name if PII occurs in a table or leading keywords in file names).

Detector Types

Detectors offer a few approaches to classifying a data entity. A classifier can have multiple detectors to improve or narrow search conditions and classification requirements.

Patterns

 consist of regular expressions to validate data based on character set matching.

Dictionary

 types include a short list of possible keyword values to match against. 

Template from Existing Detector

 uses an existing detector as a basis for creating a new one.

Discovery Review

The act of reviewing and managing discovered terms as approved, rejected, flagged, or deleted terms.

Files

Discovered files with respective metadata, which are classified based on their content and/or custom definition in the attribute manager.

Index

An index is a data structure that uses a hash function to map keys to specific locations in a data source, allowing fast, direct access to the exact data without scanning the entire dataset.

Likelihood

After a data source is scanned, terms recommended by the classification service will be paired with a likelihood result to indicate the discovered data's probable detection.

Scan Management

A method for creating a scan plan with less manual interaction via automatic data source scanning, instant scan profile generation, sequential running of scan jobs, and scan status notifications. This allows users to quickly identify which data has been scanned and respond to notifications when scans are complete or require direct inspection.

Scan Profile

Used to determine the type of scan and limits around the scan job. This allows for more advanced configurations, which can include limiting the number of schema/tables/rows for structured data sources, or shares/sites/folders/files for unstructured, inclusion/exclusion of a certain path, file types, or limiting file sizes, which can result in more target scans and ensure a consistent approach to your organization's discovery needs and goals.

Scan Job

A task with a unique ID that is initiated to scan and classify data and metadata from a data source.

Services

A running list of active pod services being utilized by the worker node.

Structured Data

Data that is neatly formatted to a certain arrangement before being held in relational databases (RDBMS) or data warehouses. Often, these defined fields contain numerical or text values stored according to definitive patterns (data models, schemas), so the records can be easily searched using queries or algorithms. This also makes the content easily accessible and familiar to business users without extensive interpretation.

System Classifier

Out-of-the-box classifiers from OneTrust that are pre-configured with mapped terms, detector types, and detector rules to find and classify common data types

Term

Standardized classification labels that define and categorize data assets across structured and unstructured systems, ensuring consistency in governance and metadata frameworks.

Unstructured Data

Data that is non-relational and not defined by any structured means (data models, schemas), making it harder to search than structured formats.

Volume Scanned

Refers to the amount of data or bytes extracted from data source objects. OneTrust uses this data to build cloud statistics and generate a scanner usage report for our customers. This enables organizations to accurately track data scanning based on their consumption.

Worker Node

A group of components that handle processing tasks to facilitate the analysis and exploration of data.