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Last updated by: Elijahjudd5, Last updated on: 29/06/2025

Project Overview

Asset Assessment​

  • Project Name: Redback Asset Assessment
  • Purpose:
    Introduce stakeholders and new developers to the Redback Asset Assessment, its goals, scope, the problem it solves, and its classification system for sensitive data.

Problem Statement​

Before detailing the goals and structure of this project, it’s essential to define the core issue that the Redback Asset Assessment is designed to address:

Sensitive data breaches remain one of the most common and damaging threats to organizations.

Such breaches can result in:

  • Identity theft,
  • Customer harm,
  • Legal and regulatory penalties,
  • Loss of trust and reputation.

Common causes include:

  • Data stored without proper classification,
  • Information retained beyond legal timeframes,
  • Exposure of data during development or system integration,
  • Lack of encryption or access control.

Project Goals​

The Redback Asset Assessment is designed to proactively combat these issues by automating the classification and flagging of sensitive data. This enables guided responses and automated actions, ensuring compliance with modern privacy standards.

This project aims to help Redback:

  • Detect exposure risks early in the development lifecycle.
  • Classify sensitive data by urgency, legal impact, and business sensitivity.
  • Comply with key data privacy standards (e.g., APP 11, Privacy Act 1988).
  • Automate DevOps-driven mitigation workflows for compliance enforcement.

Scope​

The tool scans:

  • Code repositories
  • Documents
  • Databases

It locates text and file-based sensitive data, classifying it by:

  • Data Type: PII, PHI, NPI, etc.
  • Storage Format: JSON, TXT, MP4, etc.
  • Lifecycle Status: Retained vs. Expired
  • Risk Level: Low, Medium, High

Integration targets include CI/CD pipelines, file systems, and enterprise systems, providing early detection and containment of privacy risks.

Key Features​

  • Data Classification: Supports types like PII, PHI, NPI, biometric, and more.
  • Risk Levels: Flags data by sensitivity level (Low/Medium/High) and recommends controls.
  • DevOps Integration: CI/CD pipelines, developer tools, SIEMs, etc.
  • Compliance Monitoring: Detects expired, exposed, or misclassified data.

Target Users​

RoleUse Case
Development TeamsPrevent data leaks in code and builds
Security AnalystsProactively identify data breach risks
Compliance OfficersValidate regulatory compliance and flag issues

Example Use Cases​

  • Preventing sensitive data from being pushed to public repositories.
  • Detecting unencrypted medical or financial records.
  • Automatically deleting records beyond their retention period.
  • Alerting when real production data is used in test environments.

Summary​

The Redback Asset Assessment revolutionizes data protection by making data sensitivity detection:

  • Automatic
  • Proactive
  • Enforceable

It is designed for seamless integration with existing company workflows to reduce data breach risks and ensure compliance as the company scales and evolves.