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Data Classification Policies

Data classification policies are the top-level “container” of data classification rules which allows administrators to determine what type of data should be classified.

Creating a data classification policy involves defining several policy details and setting the containing classification rules and data categories. Existing policies can serve as templates or baselines, allowing you to customize and expand them to create new policies tailored to your specific needs. You can also create your own policies from scratch, using existing building blocks, or creating new ones.

See Policy Rules and Policy Objects for more information.

Policy Management

To view an existing data classification policy, go to Compliance > Data Classification > Policies.

This page allows you to create, edit, duplicate, and delete various data classification policies.

All of the created policies are listed along with their descriptions, the owner who created the policy, the number of classification rules and data categories involved in / contained in / comprising of the policy, and if the policy is active or not. Inactive policies will not be included in the classification scans and won’t be used to classify data.

Filter Through Existing Policies

To search for a specific policy, complete the following:

  1. Navigate to Compliance > Data Classification > Policies.

  2. Select the Filters icon at the right of the screen and provide any of the following information to better your search.

    • Name – search for policies by full or partial name
    • Owner – use the dropdown to search for policies created by specific individuals or users
    • Status – use the dropdown to search for active or inactive policies
    • Show user define policies only – toggle this to view to filter out any preset policies that are delivered out of the box. This allows you to focus on the ones created by your organization

Policy Management Actions

Each policy has a set of actions the user can perform.

  • Edit - edits the details and contents of the policy
  • Delete - deletes the policy. Deleting the policy will not delete the classification rules that are contained within the policy with the exception of global rules.
  • Duplicate – duplicates the policy. Duplicating the policy does not duplicate the containing rules with the exception of global rules.

Global Options

This dropdown provides additional action options, including performing classification tasks on specific resources, managing classification categories and file properties, and adjusting the policies scope.

Run Resource Classification

For more information on how to run a data classification process on a business resource, see run a resource classification.

Manage Categories

For more information on how to use a data category, see Data Categories.

Policy Scope

For more information on how to define a policy scope, see Policy Scope.

Policy Creation

To create a new data classification policy, navigate to Compliance > Data Classification > Policies > Create New.

When creating a new data classification policy, you need to provide the details defining the policies and set the classification rules and data categories that will be used by the policy during classification tasks execution.

Policy Details

On the first step of the policy creation, provide the following information:

  • Policy Name - Name of the data classification policy
  • Policy Description - Details about the policy
  • Active toggle - by default a policy will be active once it’s created. Toggle this to inactive if the policy should be inactive at creation.

Users can add existing rules or create a new rule for a policy.

Policy Composition

Data Classification policies are made up of rules which are used to evaluate the content of files or metadata and apply categories to those classified files.

  1. To add a rule to this policy, either search for an existing one by using the dropdown or by typing in the field. You can also select Create New to create a new rule.

    All assigned rules to this policy will be listed under Assigned Rules.

  2. If this policy needs to have a global rule, toggle Global Rule to active.

  3. Once all rules have been assigned, select Done.

    The newly created policy appears in the policy list.

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