Every day, we’re more dependent on technology and the internet to live our lives. With all of the personal information we provide online, it can be a dangerous place when it comes to identity theft. To protect yourself and your identity, you’ll need to use a PII scanning software.
This article will provide insight into the different features available in a PII scanning software and which ones provide the most protection:
What is PII Scanning?
PII Scanning is a process used to detect and protect personally identifiable information (PII) from misuse or theft. It helps to uncover any PII that may be stored on your computer or in cloud applications, as well as gauge any potential risk associated with identified PII.
In today’s world, your financial data, medical records, social security number and other personal information are often spread across numerous databases. This makes it very easy for criminals to steal identities and commit fraud. By employing PII Scanning Software, businesses or individuals can itself proactively protect their most sensitive data from malicious attacks and hacks.
It works by scanning your computer and cloud-based applications (like Google Drive), detecting any potential PII stored within these sources. From there, you will be able to identify which information could make you vulnerable to identity theft and take proactive steps like encrypting the said files or disabling the application access privileges in order to keep your identity safe. Most PII scanning software will even provide alerts whenever new sensitive data is stored on the computer or cloud so that users can quickly act on it.
Why is PII Scanning Important?
Personal Identifiable Information (PII) scanning is an important part of information security. PII is any data that can be used to identify an individual, such as Social Security numbers, addresses, bank account numbers, credit card numbers and more. This type of data should be closely monitored to protect against identity theft and fraud.
Having a scanning system in place to regularly search for and detect PII can give peace of mind that your sensitive personal information is secure. Having access to an effective PII scanner will help make it easy to find out if your information has been compromised or exposed in a data breach. Once you know where the vulnerability lies, you can take corrective measures to protect yourself from identity theft or fraud.
When choosing the best PII scanning software for your business or organization, there are several things to consider:
- The scanner should have advanced technology that scans for all types of PII in both structured and unstructured data sources such as databases, documents, cloud storage systems and social media sites.
- The software should also have the capability to detect new versions of critical files such as bank statements or tax forms before they enter your system.
- Additionally, advanced scanners can search for PII even within hidden layers of webpages or document files so scan results are comprehensive and up-to-date.
- Finally, the interface should be user-friendly with selectable settings so users can configure the most surity appropriate scan level according to their needs and preferences.
The Best PII Scanning Software
It is a must to protect your personal information, particularly in this digital world. If you’re looking for the best PII scanning software to keep your identity safe, you are in the right place. Here, we will talk about some of the best scanning software, the features they offer, and some benefits of using them. This guide will help you select the right PII scanning software to protect your important information.
Identity Finder
Identity Finder is an advanced data security solution that makes it easy to discover, classify, and protect confidential and personal information. This software is especially useful in protecting Personally Identifiable Information (or PII) as it helps organizations search for, detect, and secure employee information that could be vulnerable if left exposed. It is designed to meet PCI DSS requirements and sets a new standard of compliance – while allowing organizations to create more secure environments with the help of real-time identity scanning, automated reporting templates with quotas, classifications to control sensitive data, and comprehensive violation alerts.
Identity Finder enables organizations to scan their entire storage environment for sensitive information including social security numbers, bank account numbers and national ID numbers. Its advanced technology uses a powerful regex engine to efficiently locate PII across all file formats or networks, including local drives, system shares, network shares databases servers. Furthermore it allows users to adjust their settings according to different company policies or industry regulations as Identity Finder has selectable modules that identify potential breaches and provide guidance on how to fix them quickly before any damage can be done.
Customers can also choose from two types of identification policies – Disclosed Data Analytics or Unpackert Data Analytics – which are both designed for maximum accuracy in scanning for PII-related content. For further safety of the data collected by Identity Finder customers have access to SIEM Integration – which automatically sends alerts when discovered data goes out of policy based on pre configured risk thresholds using regular expression criteria set by managers. Additionally they have access audit trails mapping out exactly who accessed various pieces of confidential information as well as detailed reports tracking trends over time – giving users the visibility they need into potential security threats currently facing their organization.
McAfee Total Protection
McAfee Total Protection is a powerful and comprehensive PII scanning software designed to protect your identity. It provides increased security with features such as real-time scanning, blocking of malicious URLs, and the ability to scan incoming emails. Its unparalleled performance is further strengthened by its Scan Lost Applications tool which allows a complete scan for any malware or spyware that may be hidden in applications installed on your system, ensuring that all data remains uncompromised.
McAfee Total Protection also boasts an anti-theft protection feature that notifies users if their device goes missing and provides detailed information about the location of their device. The DLP (Data Loss Prevention) feature allows organizations to monitor sensitive data using deep learning technology, helping to ensure that data sensitive to corporate and/or individual use is kept secure. Additionally, McAfee’s password manager securely encrypts passwords and other confidential information while new user ID ‘lockouts’ help keep unwanted users away from critical resources.
Finally, McAfee Total Protection has been optimized for maximum compatibility and ease of use, providing support for Windows 7/8/8.1/10 macOS 10+ Android 4+ iOS 11+, making it one of the most flexible PII scanning software available on the market today. So take advantage of McAfee Total Protection’s unbeatable features to keep your data secure today!
Identity Guard
Identity Guard is a state-of-the-art PII scanning software designed to protect you from identity theft and fraud. The powerful program scans your banking and insurance accounts, credit card records and other financial information, looking for suspicious activity. It then alerts you if any questionable entries are found. Identity Guard also provides you with detailed reports on the status of your accounts and access to identity theft protection services.
Identity Guard features cutting-edge technology such as:
- Multi-level password protection – With multiple layers of security, your information is protected against unauthorized access.
- Biometric authentication – Fingerprint or voice authentication helps prevent unauthorized changes to account settings or access to information.
- Advanced encryption – Your data is encrypted during transmission and storage.
- 24/7 monitoring – Constant scanning ensures that any suspicious activity is quickly detected.
- Privacy audit – Comprehensive scans of all account records enforces compliance with government regulations on PII privacy.
- Secure cloud storage – All scanned content is securely stored in the cloud for rapid retrieval.
With these powerful features, Identity Guard helps ensure that your personal information is secure and protected at all times.
Norton LifeLock
Norton LifeLock is a leader in the PII scanning software market and offers a wide range of award-winning products to help protect your identity. They are dedicated to helping customers proactively protect against fraud, data breaches, and cyberthreats. Norton LifeLock utilizes extensive Cyber Intelligence technology to detect malicious activity across the web and offers protection from identity theft with a product called Identity Theft Protection.
This high-end service uses sophisticated scanning technology to detect any signs of PII theft or misuse of your sensitive personal information such as bank account numbers, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, medical records and more. This comprehensive software offers several advantages such as:
- Comprehensive credit monitoring with daily reports.
- Dark web monitoring to identify stolen credentials online.
- Fraud alerts if suspicious activity with your information is detected.
- Restoration services if you’re a victim of identity theft.
- Lost wallet protection so that you can quickly take action if you misplace your wallet or purse containing important personal information.
Norton LifeLock provides an easy-to-use dashboard that allows customers to navigate their subscription programs easily so that they can take advantage of all features for optimal security. Customers can also benefit from specialized customer service representatives who provide education on how to better protect their identities from fraudsters by taking advantage of best practices like multi-factor authentication for secure logins and secure passwords to deter hackers from stealing their data. With Norton LifeLock’s 30 day money back guarantee there’s no risk in trying out one of the top PII scanning software services available on the market today.
LastPass
LastPass is a popular and highly recommended PII scanning software offering sophisticated protection for your identity. With LastPass you can easily audit, analyze, and securely store personal identifiable information (PII) such as usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, birthdate, Social Security numbers, passport numbers and more.
Using military grade encryption combined with two-factor authentication provided by LastPass’s strong authentication measures you can keep all of your online accounts safe from malicious individuals or data breaches. It also integrates with password vaults to ensure that all of the credentials do not get compromised and are stored in a secure manner on the cloud.
The software offers several features such as audit and automated security scans to detect any vulnerable PII data within stored records. Secure sharing also allows you to share secured logins with family members or other trusted users in a secure manner while also keeping all sensitive information completely private. In addition, it allows you to generate strong randomly generated passwords while allowing you to easily access them whenever needed.
LastPass works with several identity providers including Google Authentication, RSA SecurID tokens, Gmail OAuth (XSS Keys), Okta Verify TOTP Tokens and more enabling seamless login process for various services without remembering multiple credentials across different platforms. Additionally the software is available for multiple platforms on Windows MacOS without sacrificing any performance over other solutions.
Tips for Protecting Your Identity
In this day and age, it’s important to be aware of the threats posed to our personal information, and take steps to protect our identity. One of the most effective ways to protect your identity is to use a PII scanning software. Such software can help identify any potential threats and alert you on any vulnerable information.
This article will detail some of the best PII scanning software available on the market, and the benefits of using such software:
Use Strong Passwords
Using strong passwords is one of the most important measures you can take to protect yourself from identity theft. Weak passwords are easy to guess and are much more likely to be exploited by criminals. No matter how well-protected your data is, a simple or common password will almost always lead to a successful data breach.
Creating strong passwords that are unique and difficult to guess can help prevent data breach attempts. A good password combines letters (upper- and lower-case), numbers, and special characters into an alphanumeric string that is at least 12 characters long. You should also avoid using easily guessed words or phrases, such as birthdays, common names, hobbies, or addresses. Additionally, it is not recommended that you use the same password for multiple websites since hackers have access to cross-database searches where they can pick up on repeating patterns in people’s passwords – once they have one of your passwords, then they can potentially gain access to all of your accounts!
Finally, make sure that you change your passwords frequently – we recommend changing them at least every three months – in order to stay ahead of any potential data breaches. Also try not to write down these new passwords or store them in plain text; instead use a reputable Password Manager program that stores all of your passwords an encrypted database so not even you will know them!
With these tips in mind as well as PII scanning software installed on your devices you’ll be able protect yourself online even better against hackers attempting fraud with your personal information!
Use Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication is becoming an essential component of personal identity protection. It provides a second defense for your passwords and other personal information. With multi-factor authentication, you’re required to provide an additional form of identification, such as a verification code sent to your email or phone, before you can access online accounts. Multi-factor authentication has been proven to be one of the most effective ways to protect your identity online.
Many popular websites and services offer multi-factor authentication, such as Google and Microsoft Accounts, Facebook, Amazon Web Services, PayPal and more. Whenever possible, choose services that allow you to turn on multi-factor authentication. While it may be an extra step in the login process, it adds an extra layer of security which can help keep your data safe from potential cyber threats. Make sure you always pay attention when setting up these additional security protocols so that they are configured correctly in order to maximize their effectiveness.
It’s also important that you use unique passwords for every account and website you visit that requires a password login – especially those with financial information or private data stored on them – since using the same password for multiple accounts increases the risk of hackers getting access to all your information at once if one account is compromised. Consider using a reputable password manager like LastPass or 1Password that will generate strong passwords for each site and store them securely for easier management.
Monitor Your Credit Report
Your credit report is one of the most important documents you can review to protect your identity. Monitoring your credit report regularly is essential to ensure that no fraudulent activity has been reported in your name. Checking your credit report helps you catch any unauthorized applications or accounts that may have been opened in your name, as well as any incorrect personal information that has been registered.
To be proactive and stay ahead of identity thieves, consider signing up for a credit monitoring service so that you can get immediate alerts whenever there are changes made to your credit reports. It’s also a good idea to access each of the three major credit bureaus yearly to review each of their reports– Equifax, Experian and TransUnion–to ensure accuracy of the information being held on you.
Regularly Change Your Passwords
Having a strong password is the first step when it comes to protecting your personal information and identity online. Passwords should be updated regularly, ideally every month or two, as this keeps malicious actors from exploiting your information. Longer passwords with a combination of numbers, special characters, small and capital letters are the best defense against hackers.
Be sure to use different passwords for each website so that if one account is compromised, all of your accounts do not become vulnerable. Additionally, consider using two-factor authentication (2FA) where available for an even more secure login process. 2FA requires users to enter an additional random code sent to them via text or email whenever they log in or make a purchase with their accounts.
Conclusion
In conclusion, when it comes to online privacy and security, the best PII scanning software is a necessity. Not only does it protect against potential identity theft and data breaches, but it also works proactively to alert you if any of your personal information is compromised. As the amount of data we store online continues to grow, the importance of running scans and keeping our digital identities secure cannot be overstated.
No matter which PII scanning software you choose, rest assured that your data will be heavily guarded from identity theft and other malicious attacks. While security tools may require some tinkering or learning curve for users unfamiliar with such tools, we hope this guide has provided useful insights into the top three options for comprehensive PII scanning software so you can make an informed decision about which one best fits your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PII scanning software?
PII scanning software is a program that scans files, documents, and other data storage to detect personally identifiable information (PII) and alerts the user of potential vulnerabilities in the data.
How does PII scanning software protect my identity?
PII scanning software protects your identity by detecting PII in your personal files and data storage that cybercriminals could use to steal your identity. It alerts you of any vulnerabilities and suggests steps to ensure your PII is properly secured.
Is it necessary to have PII scanning software?
In the digital age, where cybercriminals are always looking for ways to steal data and identities, it is necessary to have PII scanning software to protect your most sensitive information. With more and more data being stored electronically, the risks are higher than ever, and having protection software is essential.
Is PII scanning software easy to use?
Yes, most PII scanning software is designed to be easy to use and user-friendly. With an intuitive interface and step-by-step guidance, you can quickly set up and start scanning your files to ensure that your sensitive data is properly protected.
Can PII scanning software remove PII from my files?
PII scanning software cannot automatically remove PII from your files. However, it can detect and alert you to any PII that is present, and provide guidance on how to best secure and protect the information.