About the Organization
A U.S.-based public sector
organization handles a significant
volume of sensitive personal and
financial data. With a workforce
of several hundred employees,
the agency must meet strict
compliance requirements, including
those under federal financial privacy
laws like the Gramm-Leach-Bliley
Act (GLBA). Strengthening data
governance and mitigating the risks
of data sprawl are high priorities.
“We’re further along with Spirion
DSPM than we expected. It
helps us understand our data,
delete what doesn’t belong,
and label what does.”
— Systems Engineer
Challenge
A public agency responsible for housing and financial services recognized that its evolving data environment lacked the visibility and control required to support long-term governance and compliance objectives.
Key Challenges:
- Scattered Sensitive Data: Confidential information was dispersed across file servers and user workstations with little centralized visibility.
- Unstructured Storage Habits: Staff often saved files in inconsistent or unapproved locations, such as shared drives, local folders, and recycle bins, complicating efforts to enforce data policies.
- Technology Gaps: A previous effort to deploy a large-scale data governance solution failed due to technical and implementation issues, creating a need for a more adaptable and responsive platform.
These issues highlighted a clear need for a solution that could deliver precise
discovery, flexible remediation, and scalable control, without increasing strain
on technical resources.
Solution
The agency adopted archTIS’ Spirion Sensitive Data Platform (SDP) as the core
of its phased data governance program, combining visibility, automation, and
policy enforcement:
- File Server Scanning: Identified non-record and redundant data across shared storage for cleanup and classification.
- Pilot Workstation Scans: Detected sensitive files in overlooked locations (downloads, local folders, laptop recycle bins), with custom scripts used to automate remediation.
- Consistent Labeling: Applied standardized internal data classifications (e.g., “Confidential,” “Restricted”) to support internal policy alignment.
- Layered Security Strategy: SDP was integrated with an existing third-party Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solution to create a multi-layered approach to sensitive data protection.
This gave the technical and program teams the tools they needed to drive governance improvements while minimizing disruption to day-to-day operations.
Results
The agency reports measurable progress and increased maturity in its data governance efforts thanks to Spirion SDP:
- Faster Progress: Milestones were achieved ahead of schedule, outpacing initial rollout expectations.
- Cleaner Systems: Obsolete and misplaced data was cleaned up, and sensitive data is now consistently labeled and governed.
- Operational Empowerment: Technical staff can independently manage scans, reporting, and cleanup workflows, reducing reliance on central IT support.
- Exceptional Satisfaction: The agency rated Spirion SDP 9.5 out of 10 for satisfaction, citing ease of use, support quality, and overall performance.
By combining automated discovery, classification, and cleanup with a layered security approach, the organization has not only reduced risk and improved compliance, but also empowered its teams to manage data with greater confidence and control. As it continues to expand Spirion SDP’s reach across the enterprise, the agency is building a scalable, sustainable framework to protect sensitive information wherever it lives.
