Azure DLP: Blob Storage Data Classification

Scan Sensitive Documents and FIles - Azure Data Discovery and Classification for Blob Storage

Table of Contents

Why Implement Data Classification for Azure Blob Storage?

Enhancing Data Security

One of the paramount reasons for data classification in Azure Blob Storage is to bolster data security. By categorizing data based on its sensitivity and value, organizations can implement appropriate security measures for different data types. Sensitive data, such as personal identification information (PII) or intellectual property, can be more heavily guarded against unauthorized access and breaches.

Regulatory Compliance

With the increasing emphasis on data protection regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA, compliance has become a non-negotiable aspect of data management. Data classification enables organizations to identify which data falls under regulatory scope and apply necessary controls to meet legal requirements, thereby avoiding hefty fines and reputational damage.

Improved Data Management and Accessibility

Classifying data promotes efficient data management and accessibility. By organizing data into distinct categories, businesses can streamline data retrieval processes, optimize storage utilization, and ensure that critical information is readily accessible when needed. This not only saves time but also significantly reduces storage and management costs.

Facilitating Data Lifecycle Management

Data classification is crucial for effective data lifecycle management. It allows organizations to determine the relevance and value of data over time. Non-essential data can be archived or deleted, ensuring that storage resources are allocated to data that drives business value and decision-making.

Strac Data Classification in Azure Blob Storage

Implementing data classification in Azure Blob Storage requires a strategic approach, leveraging both Azure-native and third-party solutions. Here’s an overview of the best solutions:

Sensitive Data Discovery and Classification: Strac seamlessly detects and categorizes sensitive information within Azure Blob Storage, employing predefined classifications such as personal identifiable information (PII), financial details, medical records, or tailored categories. This process aids in pinpointing the presence of sensitive data and facilitating the implementation of suitable security measures.

Whether your Azure Blob Storage bucket contains structured databases, unstructured documents, or intricate media files, Strac DLP scans it all with precision.
Explore our extensive catalog here. Get alerts and notifications to take actions.

Data Access Monitoring: Strac tracks and records who interacts with sensitive data, alongside the timing and origin of these interactions, in real-time. This surveillance extends to both legitimate and unauthorized access attempts, offering a transparent record for compliance and investigative objectives.

Who accessed what files/buckets and if there is an anomaly in file downloads‍

Permission Auditing and Management: Strac continuously reviews and adjusts access rights to Azure Blob Storage resources, guaranteeing access is confined to verified individuals and services. This involves identifying and rectifying excessively liberal access settings, either automatically or through administrator notifications.

Compliance Management: Strac assists entities in aligning with applicable data protection laws and standards (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS), through the implementation of governance policies, handling of consents, and provision of comprehensive audits and documentation for regulatory scrutiny.

Sensitive Data Types for Azure DLP: Blob Storage

Checkout all the sensitive data elements and file formats supported by Strac: https://www.strac.io/blog/strac-catalog-of-sensitive-data-elements

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Sharepoint DLP Use Cases

Practical Scenario

A hospital’s billing and administrative teams use SharePoint Online to store patient invoices, medical reports, and insurance forms. While collaborating with external insurance providers, a staff member accidentally updates the permissions on a SharePoint document library to “Anyone with the link,” exposing potentially thousands of patient files containing PHI.

How Strac's Sharepoint DLP Helps

Continuous Data Discovery: Strac automatically scans existing and newly uploaded documents, identifying PHI (e.g., medical record numbers, Social Security Numbers).
Classification & Labeling: Once identified, files are labeled (e.g., “HIPAA Sensitive”), ensuring that administrators know which documents require the highest level of protection.
Visibility into Access: Strac provides real-time insight into who has access to these sensitive documents. Administrators can instantly see if unauthorized users or broad groups have viewing rights.
Revoke Public Links: If a file is publicly accessible, Strac immediately revokes those links and restores restricted access.
Alerts & Quarantines: When someone attempts to share PHI externally, Strac can alert admins, quarantine the file for review, or completely block the action.
Audit-Ready Reports: All actions are logged, enabling quick incident response and demonstrating HIPAA compliance for audits.

Practical Scenario

A mid-sized investment firm uses SharePoint to collaborate on various client files, including:

Credit card statements (subject to PCI-DSS)
ID documents (Driver’s Licenses, Passports, etc.) used for KYC (Know Your Customer) verification
Banking information such as account and routing numbers

An associate accidentally shares a SharePoint folder containing these files with a newly onboarded client who does not require access to all confidential documents. This folder is also accessible to several internal teams outside the immediate project, creating multiple potential exposure points.

How Strac's Sharepoint DLP Helps

Comprehensive Data Discovery: Strac scans both existing and newly uploaded documents in SharePoint for sensitive information such as credit card numbers, bank account details, and ID documents (Driver’s License, Passport formats).
Classification & Automated Labeling: Once identified, Strac applies meaningful labels (e.g., “PCI-DSS Sensitive,” “PII – ID Documents,” “Banking Info”) to ensure these files stand out and are subject to stricter security rules.
Visibility into Access: Strac provides an immediate view of who currently has access to these sensitive files. This allows admins to spot situations where external clients or internal teams unnecessarily have permissions.
Public Access Revocation: If a labeled document (e.g., containing card data or ID scans) is found to be publicly shared or too broadly accessible, Strac automatically revokes these links or permissions, aligning access with the principle of least privilege.
Alerts, Quarantines, and Blocks: When a user attempts to share a labeled document with outside domains—or with an entire department—Strac alerts administrators or quarantines/blocks the file share, depending on policy settings.
In cases where the share is intentional but needs review, admins can approve or deny the request within Strac’s dashboard.
Audit & Compliance: Every sharing event, label assignment, and access revocation is logged, creating a detailed audit trail. This helps demonstrate compliance with PCI-DSS, KYC, AML, and other regulatory requirements.
Automatic reporting simplifies any regulatory or internal compliance audit, reducing the administrative burden on security and compliance teams.

Practical Scenario

A software company keeps source code, product roadmaps, and design specs in SharePoint. Several teams—including external contractors—use the same SharePoint site. A developer accidentally grants a large group, including some non-disclosure–exempt contractors, access to a folder containing patent-pending code.

How Strac's Sharepoint DLP Helps

Holistic File Scanning: Strac inspects documents, PDFs, and archives for code snippets, system designs, and proprietary business terms to detect potential IP.
Intelligent Labeling: Documents identified as containing IP or trade secrets are automatically classified (e.g., “Proprietary IP”), reinforcing the need for restricted sharing.
Real-Time Access Insights: With Strac, administrators can instantly see who has access to IP-tagged files, enabling them to remove unauthorized users or reduce permission scopes.
Immediate Link Removal: If a contractor or external partner is mistakenly granted access to IP, Strac revokes public or unauthorized sharing before the files can be downloaded.
Alerts & Blocking: Strac’s policies can be configured to alert security teams or block external sharing attempts for files containing proprietary content.
Incident Response & Auditing: Detailed logs of every share request, label change, and access revocation aid in quick incident resolution and help prove due diligence if legal issues arise.