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Find High Risk Data on My Computer

This article applies to: Security & Policy


Even if you don’t usually access high-risk data, you may have downloaded it at some point or it may have been sent to you.

The only way to be sure your computer is free of high-risk data is to search for it and destroy it. At Cornell, we use Identity Finder to do this.

Identity Finder does three things really well:

  • It searches for high-risk data on computers and file servers you use.
  • It gives you a comprehensive list of potential concerns.
  • It securely destroys anything you choose to shred.

Identity Finder won’t find everything. It only recognizes high-risk data elements. Other sensitive data must be addressed separately.

Follow your department’s local practices! 

Some departments and units are delivering pre-configured copies of Identity Finder, and different departments/units will take different approaches to handling high-risk data. Always follow local practices and guidelines when scanning and making decisions about data.

About this Article

Last updated: 

Tuesday, February 9, 2021 - 6:11pm

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