Data Lifecycle Visualizer
Explore the journey of data from creation to destruction and track your data assets
Data Creation
The beginning of the data lifecycle - when new data is generated or acquired
Key Activities
- Data entry and capture
- Document creation
- System-generated data
- Data import/acquisition
- Sensor/IoT data collection
Security Considerations
- Classify data at point of creation
- Apply appropriate labels/tags
- Define data owner and steward
- Establish access controls immediately
- Document data lineage
Compliance Requirements
- GDPR: Consent for personal data
- HIPAA: PHI identification
- PCI-DSS: Cardholder data scope
- SOX: Financial data controls
Data Storage
Where and how data is kept - critical for security and availability
Location Considerations
- Geographic location (data sovereignty)
- On-premises vs cloud storage
- Primary and backup locations
- Cross-border data transfer rules
- Physical infrastructure security
Security Controls
- Encryption at rest
- Access control lists (ACLs)
- Storage redundancy (RAID)
- Backup encryption and protection
- Physical security measures
Data States
- At Rest: Stored on media
- In Transit: Being transmitted
- In Use: Being processed
- Each state requires specific controls
Data Usage
Active processing and consumption of data for business purposes
Usage Types
- Operational processing
- Analytics and reporting
- Decision making
- Sharing with authorized parties
- Machine learning training
Access Controls
- Role-based access control (RBAC)
- Principle of least privilege
- Just-in-time access
- Multi-factor authentication
- Session management
Monitoring & Audit
- Access logging
- Activity monitoring
- Data loss prevention (DLP)
- User behavior analytics
- Compliance audits
Data Archival
Long-term retention of data that is no longer actively used
Retention Drivers
- Legal/regulatory requirements
- Litigation hold obligations
- Business continuity needs
- Historical analysis value
- Contractual obligations
Archive Storage
- Cold storage solutions
- Tape backup systems
- Cloud archive tiers (Glacier)
- Off-site secure storage
- Write-once read-many (WORM)
Retention Policies
- Define retention periods
- Automated expiration rules
- Legal hold exceptions
- Periodic retention reviews
- Document destruction schedules
Data Destruction
Secure, permanent removal of data per NIST SP 800-88 guidelines
Destruction Methods
Data Remanence
- Residual data after erasure attempts
- Magnetic media retains traces
- SSD wear leveling complicates erasure
- Forensic recovery possible
- Verification required for sensitive data
Documentation Requirements
- Certificate of destruction
- Method used and verification
- Date and responsible party
- Serial numbers of destroyed media
- Retain records per policy
Key Concepts
Data Location
Geographic location matters for privacy regulations. GDPR requires EU data to stay in EU or have adequate protections for transfers.
Data Maintenance
Ongoing checks to ensure data is accurate, complete, reliable, relevant, timely, and valid according to corporate standards.
Data Retention
Keeping data for compliance, litigation, business continuity, and historical analysis. Retention periods vary by data type and regulation.
Declassification
Process to purge media so it can be reused in unclassified environments. High-security environments destroy rather than declassify.
Data Asset Tracker
Track your data assets through their lifecycle phases
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