Native semantic categories of sensitive data classification¶
A semantic category is a label that describes the meaning or type of information in a data column, beyond the fundamental data type. You can use semantic categories to add business context and improve data goverance. Snowflake provides the following semantic categories that identify common types of sensitive attributes, such as names and addresses. These native semantic categories can be sectioned into the following privacy categories:
Important
Under various laws and regulations, multiple semantic categories can be considered “Sensitive Personal Data”, “Special Categories of Data”, or similar terms. These semantic categories might require additional protections or controls.
To classify attributes that are not supported natively, refer to Create custom categories for sensitive data.
About semantic subcategories¶
If Snowflake identifies that the type of sensitive data is specific to a country, it records a semantic subcategory in the classification details. For example, a social security number (SSN) is an identifier in the United States (US), and its semantic subcategory is NATIONAL_IDENTIFIER.
You can find the semantic subcategory in the Details field of the JSON object returned by the classification
process. For more information about viewing this response object, refer to Use SQL to view classification results.
If the type of sensitive data is not specific to a country and is globally applicable, it does not have a semantic subcategory. This type of sensitive data is categorized as a global identifier.
Identifiers¶
Identifier semantic categories represent personally identifiable information (PII) or sensitive data elements that can be used to identify individuals or entities.
Global identifiers¶
Global identifer categories are semantic categories that are not specific to a country and are globally applicable.
| Semantic category | Notes |
|---|---|
| BANK_ACCOUNT | For countries outside of Cananda, New Zealand, and the United States, the semantic subcategory is International Bank Account Number (IBAN). |
| IMEI | An International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is a unique number that identifies a phone’s model and serial number. |
| IP_ADDRESS | |
| NAME | |
| PAYMENT_CARD | |
| URL | A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is the unique address of a resource (such as a document or website) on the Internet. |
| VIN | The Vehicle Identification Number. |
Country-specific identifiers¶
| Semantic category | Country | Semantic subcategory | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BANK_ACCOUNT | Canada (CA) | CA_BANK_ACCOUNT | |
| New Zealand (NZ) | NZ_BANK_ACCOUNT | ||
| United States (US) | US_BANK_ACCOUNT | ||
| DRIVERS_LICENSE | Austria (AT) | AT_DRIVERS_LICENSE | |
| Australia (AU) | AU_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Belgium (BE) | BE_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Bulgaria (BG) | BG_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Canada (CA) | CA_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Croatia (HR) | HR_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Cyprus (CY) | CY_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Czechia (CZ) | CZ_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Denmark (DK) | DK_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Estonia (EE) | EE_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Finland (FI) | FI_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| France (FR) | FR_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Germany (DE) | DE_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Greece (GR) | GR_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Hungary (HU) | HU_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| India (IN) | IN_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Ireland (IE) | IE_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Italy (IT) | IT_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Latvia (LV) | LV_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Lithuania (LT) | LT_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Luxembourg (LU) | LU_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Malta (MT) | MT_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Netherlands (NL) | NL_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| New Zealand (NZ) | NZ_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Poland (PL) | PL_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Portugal (PT) | PT_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Romania (RO) | RO_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Slovakia (SK) | SK_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Slovenia (SI) | SI_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Spain (ES) | ES_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| Sweden (SE) | SE_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| United States (US) | US_DRIVERS_LICENSE | ||
| MEDICARE_NUMBER | Australia (AU) | AU_MEDICARE_NUMBER | |
| New Zealand (NZ) | NZ_NHI_NUMBER | ||
| NATIONAL_IDENTIFIER | Austria (AT) | AT_IDENTITY_CARD AT_SSN | |
| Belgium (BE) | BE_NATIONAL_NUMBER | ||
| Bulgaria (BG) | BG_UNIFORM_CIVIL_NUMBER | ||
| Canada (CA) | CA_SOCIAL_INSURANCE_NUMBER | ||
| Croatia (HR) | HR_PERSONAL_IDENTIFICATION_NUMBER | ||
| Cyprus (CY) | CY_IDENTITY_CARD | ||
| Czechia (CZ) | CZ_PERSONAL_IDENTITY_NUMBER | ||
| Denmark (DK) | DK_PERSONAL_IDENTIFICATION_NUMBER | ||
| Estonia (EE) | EE_PERSONAL_IDENTIFICATION_CODE | ||
| Finland (FI) | FI_NATIONAL_IDENTITY_CARD | ||
| France (FR) | FR_CNI FR_SSN | The FR_SSN is also known as the INSEE number. | |
| Germany (DE) | DE_IDENTITY_CARD | ||
| Greece (GR) | GR_NATIONAL_IDENTITY_CARD GR_SSN | The GR_SSN is also known as the AMKA number. | |
| Hungary (HU) | HU_PERSONAL_IDENTIFICATION_NUMBER HU_SSN | The HU_SSN is also known as the TAJ number. | |
| India (IN) | IN_PAN IN_AADHAAR IN_VOTER_ID | ||
| Ireland (IE) | IE_PERSONAL_PUBLIC_SERVICE_NUMBER | ||
| Latvia (LV) | LV_PERSONAL_CODE | ||
| Lithuania (LT) | LT_PERSONAL_CODE | ||
| Luxembourg (LU) | LU_NATIONAL_IDENTIFICATION_NUMBER_NATURAL_PERSONS LU_NATIONAL_IDENTIFICATION_NUMBER_NON_NATURAL_PERSONS | ||
| Malta (MT) | MT_IDENTITY_CARD | ||
| Netherlands (NL) | NL_CITIZEN_SERVICE_NUMBER | ||
| New Zealand (NZ) | NZ_STUDENT_NUMBER | ||
| Poland (PL) | PL_NATIONAL_ID | ||
| Portugal (PT) | PT_CITIZEN_CARD_NUMBER | ||
| Romania (RO) | RO_PERSONAL_NUMERIC_CODE | ||
| Singapore (SG) | SG_NATIONAL_REGISTRATION_IDENTITY_CARD | ||
| Slovakia (SK) | SK_PERSONAL_NUMBER | ||
| Slovenia (SI) | SI_UNIQUE_MASTER_CITIZEN_NUMBER | ||
| Spain (ES) | ES_DNI ES_SSN | ||
| Sweden (SE) | SE_NATIONAL_ID | ||
| United Kingdom (UK) | UK_NATIONAL_INSURANCE_NUMBER | ||
| United States (US) | US_SSN | ||
| ORGANIZATION_IDENTIFIER | Australia (AU) | AU_BUSINESS_NUMBER AU_COMPANY_NUMBER | |
| New Zealand (NZ) | NZ_BUSINESS_NUMBER | ||
| Singapore (SG) | SG_UNIQUE_ENTITY_NUMBER | ||
| PASSPORT | Australia (AU) | AU_PASSPORT | |
| Austria (AT) | AT_PASSPORT | ||
| Belgium (BE) | BE_PASSPORT | ||
| Bulgaria (BG) | BG_PASSPORT | ||
| Canada (CA) | CA_PASSPORT | ||
| Croatia (HR) | HR_PASSPORT | ||
| Cyprus (CY) | CY_PASSPORT | ||
| Czechia (CZ) | CZ_PASSPORT | ||
| Denmark (DK) | DK_PASSPORT | ||
| Estonia (EE) | EE_PASSPORT | ||
| Finland (FI) | FI_PASSPORT | ||
| France (FR) | FR_PASSPORT | ||
| Germany (DE) | DE_PASSPORT | ||
| Greece (GR) | GR_PASSPORT | ||
| Hungary (HU) | HU_PASSPORT | ||
| Ireland (IE) | IE_PASSPORT | ||
| Italy (IT) | IT_PASSPORT | ||
| Latvia (LV) | LV_PASSPORT | ||
| Lithuania (LT) | LT_PASSPORT | ||
| Luxembourg (LU) | LU_PASSPORT | ||
| Malta (MT) | MT_PASSPORT | ||
| Netherlands (NL) | NL_PASSPORT | ||
| New Zealand (NZ) | NZ_PASSPORT | ||
| Poland (PL) | PL_PASSPORT | ||
| Portugal (PT) | PT_PASSPORT | ||
| Romania (RO) | RO_PASSPORT | ||
| Singapore (SG) | SG_PASSPORT | ||
| Slovakia (SK) | SK_PASSPORT | ||
| Slovenia (SI) | SI_PASSPORT | ||
| Spain (ES) | ES_PASSPORT | ||
| Sweden (SE) | SE_PASSPORT | ||
| United States (US) | US_PASSPORT | ||
| PHONE_NUMBER | Australia (AU) | AU_PHONE_NUMBER | |
| Canada (CA) | CA_PHONE_NUMBER | ||
| Japan (JP) | JP_PHONE_NUMBER | ||
| United Kingdom (UK) | UK_PHONE_NUMBER | ||
| United States (US) | US_PHONE_NUMBER | ||
| STREET_ADDRESS | Canada (CA) | CA_STREET_ADDRESS | |
| New Zealand (NZ) | NZ_STREET_ADDRESS | ||
| United States (US) | US_STREET_ADDRESS | ||
| TAX_IDENTIFIER | Australia (AU) | AU_TAX_NUMBER | |
| Austria (AT) | AT_TAX_ID_NUMBER | ||
| Cyprus (CY) | CY_TAX_ID_NUMBER | ||
| France (FR) | FR_TAX_ID_NUMBER | ||
| Germany (DE) | DE_TAX_ID_NUMBER | ||
| Greece (GR) | GR_TAX_ID_NUMBER | ||
| Hungary (HU) | HU_TAX_ID_NUMBER | ||
| India (IN) | IN_GST_NUMBER | ||
| Italy (IT) | IT_FISCAL_CODE | ||
| Malta (MT) | MT_TAX_ID_NUMBER | ||
| Netherlands (NL) | NL_TAX_ID_NUMBER | ||
| New Zealand (NZ) | NZ_INLAND_REVENUE_NUMBER | ||
| Poland (PL) | PL_TAX_ID_NUMBER | ||
| Portugal (PT) | PT_TAX_ID_NUMBER | ||
| Slovenia (SI) | SI_TAX_ID_NUMBER | ||
| Spain (ES) | ES_TAX_ID_NUMBER | ||
| Sweden (SE) | SE_TAX_ID_NUMBER | ||
| United States (US) | US_TAX_IDENTIFIER | The semantic subcategory US_TAX_IDENTIFIER is an identifier because it is the ITIN of an individual. The EMPLOYER_IDENTIFICATION_NUMBER subcategory of the TAX_IDENTIFIER category is a quasi-identifier because it is the EIN of a company. |
Quasi-identifiers¶
Quasi-identifiers are attributes that do not uniquely identify an individual on their own, but when combined with other data, could be used to re-identify someone. Examples of quasi-identifiers include demographic information, geographic data, and administrative regions.
Global quasi-identifiers¶
Global quasi-identifiers are quasi-identifier semantic categories that are not specific to a country and are globally applicable.
| Semantic category |
|---|
| AGE |
| COUNTRY |
| DATE_OF_BIRTH |
| ETHNICITY |
| GENDER |
| LATITUDE |
| LAT_LONG |
| LONGITUDE |
| MARITAL_STATUS |
| MEDICAL_SPECIALTY |
| OCCUPATION |
| YEAR_OF_BIRTH |
Country-specific quasi-identifiers¶
| Semantic category | Country | Semantic subcategory | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADMINISTRATIVE_AREA_1 | Canada (CA) | CA_PROVINCE_OR_TERRITORY | |
| New Zealand (NZ) | NZ_REGION | ||
| United States (US) | US_STATE_OR_TERRITORY | ||
| ADMINISTRATIVE_AREA_2 | United States (US) | US_COUNTY | |
| CITY | Canada (CA) | CA_CITY | |
| New Zealand (NZ) | NZ_CITY | ||
| United States (US) | US_CITY | ||
| POSTAL_CODE | Australia (AU) | AU_POSTAL_CODE | |
| Canada (CA) | CA_POSTAL_CODE | ||
| Japan (JP) | JP_POSTAL_CODE | ||
| New Zealand (NZ) | NZ_POSTAL_CODE | ||
| Switzerland (CH) | CH_POSTAL_CODE | ||
| United Kingdom (UK) | UK_POSTAL_CODE | Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. | |
| United States (US) | US_POSTAL_CODE | ||
| TAX_IDENTIFIER | United States (US) | EMPLOYER_IDENTIFICATION_NUMBER | The semantic subcategory EMPLOYER_IDENTIFICATION_NUMBER is a quasi-identifier, not an identifier, because it is the EIN of a company. The US_TAX_IDENTIFIER subcategory of the TAX_IDENTIFIER category represents the ITIN of an individual, and is an identifier. |
Sensitive information¶
Sensitive information includes data elements that contain confidential or private details. While such data does not directly identify an individual, they require protection due to their sensitive nature.
Global sensitive information¶
| Semantic category | Semantic subcategory | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MEDICAL_DATA | ICD_10_CODE | International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, codes. |
| LAB_TEST_TERM | This includes terms related to laboratory analysis of blood samples (for example, CBC, lipid panel) and general terms for non-blood laboratory analyses (for example, urine analysis, biopsy). | |
| MEDICAL_CONDITION | This includes specific medical conditions, illnesses, or disorders, and loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function (for example, impairments). | |
| MEDICAL_PROCEDURE | Interventions involving physical alteration of tissues or organs (for example, appendectomy). | |
| MEDICINE_NAME | This includes classifications of drugs based on function or composition (for example, antibiotics, antihistamines), proprietary trademarked names of drugs (for example, Advil, Amoxil), and non-proprietary chemical names of drugs (for example, ibuprofen, amoxicillin). | |
| SALARY | n/a | n/a |