The Limitations of Manual Audits
Many organizations still rely on manual processes to identify and manage sensitive data. While once sufficient, manual audits cannot keep pace with today's data volumes and regulatory demands.
Problems with Manual Approaches
- Time-consuming: Manual reviews of file shares can take weeks or months.
- Error-prone: Human reviewers miss patterns and get fatigued.
- Point-in-time: Audits capture only a snapshot; new data arrives constantly.
- Scalability issues: Organizations can't audit faster than data grows.
- Inconsistent: Different reviewers apply different criteria.
Benefits of Automated Discovery
Speed
Scan thousands of files per minute versus hours of manual review.
Accuracy
Pattern matching algorithms consistently identify PII types without fatigue.
Continuous Monitoring
Schedule regular scans to catch new sensitive data as it's created.
Comprehensive Coverage
Examine every file systematically rather than sampling.
Audit Trail
Automated tools generate detailed reports for compliance documentation.
What VaultMate Detects
- Social Security Numbers
- Credit card numbers
- Email addresses
- Phone numbers
- Medical record numbers
- Driver's license numbers
- Passport numbers
- And many more PII patterns
Combining Human and Machine Intelligence
The best approach combines automated scanning with human judgment. Tools flag potential issues; humans make decisions about remediation and false positives.