Data classification (for example, personally identifiable information [PII], protected health information [PHI])

Data classification is a process that involves categorizing the data that an organization processes, stores, or transmits based on its level of sensitivity and the impact that may result from its disclosure or unauthorized access. This activity is crucial for maintaining compliance with regulations and for implementing the appropriate security measures. Two important types of sensitive data often subjected to classification are Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Protected Health Information (PHI).

What is PII?

Personally Identifiable Information, or PII, refers to any information that can be used to identify an individual. Examples of PII include, but are not limited to:

• Names
• Social Security numbers
• Driver’s license numbers
• Credit card numbers
• Email addresses
• Physical addresses
• Passport numbers

Organizations holding PII are often subject to regulatory requirements, such as the EU’s GDPR, to protect this data from unauthorized access and disclosures.

What is PHI?

Protected Health Information, within the scope of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States, refers to any information about health status, provision of health care, or payment for health care that can be linked to an individual. This is broader than PII because it includes any part of a patient’s medical record or payment history. Examples of PHI include:

• Medical records
• Test and laboratory results
• Health insurance information
• Any other data that can be reasonably linked to an individual regarding their health

The Role of Data Classification in AWS Cloud

In the context of the AWS Certified Developer – Associate exam, it is crucial to understand how to manage the security of PII and PHI within the AWS cloud, as these are common data types you will encounter in real-world applications.

AWS offers various services and features that can assist in protecting and classifying data:

• Amazon S3 Bucket Policies: Restrict access to your S3 buckets containing PII or PHI.
• AWS Key Management Service (KMS): Use customer-managed keys to encrypt data.
• Amazon Macie: Discover and classify PII or PHI stored in AWS.
• AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM): Define policies that dictate what actions are allowed on specific resources.
• Amazon RDS: Use encryption options for relational database services that store sensitive data.

A Sample Amazon S3 Bucket Policy for PII and PHI:

{
“Version”: “2012-10-17”,
“Statement”: [
{
“Sid”: “PIIPHIReadAccess”,
“Effect”: “Allow”,
“Principal”: {
“AWS”: “arn:aws:iam::ACCOUNT_ID:user/DeveloperUser”
},
“Action”: “s3:GetObject”,
“Resource”: “arn:aws:s3:::your-pii-and-phi-bucket/*”,
“Condition”: {
“StringEquals”: {
“s3:x-amz-server-side-encryption”: “aws:kms”
}
}
}
]
}

This policy ensures that only the specified user can read objects from the S3 bucket that contains PII and PHI, and it enforces server-side encryption with AWS KMS keys.

Comparison between PII and PHI

Here is a comparison table for PII and PHI considering their definitions, examples, and governing regulations:

Considerations for AWS Developers

When dealing with PII and PHI, AWS Certified Developer – Associate candidates should understand the following:

• Data should be encrypted at rest and in transit.
• Understand which AWS services offer encryption and data protection features.
• Have a thorough understanding of IAM roles and policies for least privilege access.
• Be familiar with regulatory compliance requirements specific to PII and PHI.
• Implement auditing and monitoring using AWS CloudTrail and Amazon CloudWatch.
• Regularly assess and adapt to new AWS features and services that improve data protection.

Understanding data classification and how to handle different types of sensitive data is key for AWS Certified Developer – Associate exam takers. AWS provides the tools to implement strong security practices, and developers must know how to apply these tools effectively to safeguard PII and PHI within their applications.