How to Prevent Data Breaches in Healthcare and Protect PHI

Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) has quickly become a must-have for organizations moving to the cloud. By discovering, classifying, and protecting sensitive data across SaaS apps and cloud services, DSPM gave security teams visibility into data risks they never knew they had before.

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But here’s the reality: most enterprises aren’t 100% cloud. Legacy file shares, private databases, and hybrid workloads still hold massive amounts of sensitive data. Without visibility into these environments, even the most advanced DSPM platforms leave critical blind spots.

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That’s why DSPM platform support is evolving - from cloud-only to truly hybrid.

The Evolution of DSPM

DSPM emerged as a response to the visibility problem created by rapid cloud adoption. As organizations moved to cloud services, SaaS applications, and collaboration platforms, sensitive data began to sprawl across environments at a pace traditional security tools couldn’t keep up with. Security teams suddenly faced oversharing, inconsistent access controls, and little clarity on where critical information actually lived.

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DSPM helped fill this gap by delivering a new level of insight into cloud data. It allowed organizations to map sensitive information across their environments, highlight risky exposures, and begin enforcing least-privilege principles at scale. For cloud-native companies, this represented a huge leap forward - finally, there was a way to keep up with constant data changes and movements, helping customers safely adopt the cloud while maintaining data security best practices and compliance and without slowing innovation.

But for large enterprises, the model was incomplete. Decades of IT infrastructure meant that vast amounts of sensitive information still lived in legacy databases, file shares, and private cloud environments. While DSPM gave them visibility in the cloud, it left everything else in the dark.

The Blind Spot of On-Prem & Private Data

Despite rapid cloud adoption and digital transformation progress, large organizations still rely heavily on hybrid and on-prem environments, since data movement to the cloud can be a year’s long process. On-premises file shares such as NetApp ONTAP, SMB, and NTFS, alongside enterprise databases like Oracle, SQL Server, and MySQL, remain central to operations. Private cloud applications are especially common in regulated industries like healthcare, finance, and government, where compliance demands keep critical data on-premises.

To scan on premises data, many DSPM providers offer partial solutions by taking ephemeral ‘snapshots’ of that data and temporarily moving it to the cloud (either within customer environment, as Sentra does, or to the vendor cloud as some others do) for classification analysis. This can satisfy some requirements, but often is seen as a compliance risk for very sensitive or private data which must remain on-premises. What’s left are two untenable alternatives - ignoring the data which leaves serious visibility gaps or utilizing manual techniques which do not scale.

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These approaches were clearly not built for today’s security or operational requirements. Sensitive data is created and proliferates rapidly, which means it may be unclassified, unmonitored, and overexposed, but how do you even know? From a compliance and risk standpoint, DSPM without on-prem visibility is like watching only half the field, and leaving the other half open to attackers or accidental exposure.

Expanding with On-Prem Scanners

Sentra is changing the equation. With the launch of its on-premise scanners, the platform now extends beyond the cloud to hybrid and private environments, giving organizations a single pane of glass for all their data security.

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With Sentra, organizations can:

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• Discover and classify sensitive data across traditional file shares (SMB, NFS, CIFS, NTFS) and enterprise databases (Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, MSSQL, PostgreSDL, MongoDB, MariaDB, IBM DB2, Teradata).
  
• Detects and protects critical data as it moves between on-prem and cloud environments.
  
• Apply AI-powered classification and enforce Microsoft Purview labeling consistently across environments.
  
• Strengthen compliance with frameworks that demand full visibility across hybrid estates.
  
• Have a choice of deployment models that best fits their security, compliance, and operational requirements.
  
  

Crucially, Sentra’s architecture allows customers to ensure private data always remains in their own environment. They need not move data outside their premises and nothing is ever copied into Sentra’s cloud, making it a trusted choice for enterprises that require secure, private data processing.

Real-World Impact

Picture a global bank: with modern customer-facing websites and mobile applications hosted in the public cloud, providing agility and scalability for digital services. At the same time, the bank continues to rely on decades-old operational databases running in its private cloud — systems that power core banking functions such as transactions and account management. Without visibility into both, security teams can’t fully understand the risks these stores may pose and enforce least privilege, prevent oversharing, or ensure compliance.

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With hybrid DSPM powered by on-prem scanners, that same bank can unify classification and governance across every environment - cloud or on-prem, and close the gaps that attackers or AI systems could otherwise exploit.

Conclusion

DSPM solved the cloud problem. But enterprises aren’t just in the cloud, they’re hybrid. Legacy systems and private environments still hold critical data, and leaving them out of your security posture is no longer an option.

Sentra’s on-premise scanners mark the next stage of DSPM evolution: one unified platform for cloud, on-prem, and private environments. With full visibility, accurate classification, and consistent governance, enterprises finally have the end-to-end data security they need for the AI era.

Because protecting half your data is no longer enough.

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In today’s data-driven world, organizations are dealing with more information than ever before. Data pours in from countless production systems and applications, and data analysts are tasked with making sense of it all - fast. To extract valuable insights, teams rely on powerful analytics platforms like Snowflake, Databricks, BigQuery, and Redshift. These tools make it easier to store, process, and analyze data at scale.

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But while these platforms are excellent at managing raw data, they don't solve one of the most critical challenges organizations face: understanding and securing that data.

That’s where metadata catalogs come in.

Metadata Catalogs Are Essential But They’re Not Enough

Metadata catalogs such as AWS Glue, Hive Metastore, and Apache Iceberg are designed to bring order to large-scale data ecosystems. They offer a clear inventory of datasets, making it easier for teams to understand what data exists, where it’s stored, and who is responsible for it.

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This organizational visibility is essential. With a good catalog in place, teams can collaborate more efficiently, minimize redundancy, and boost productivity by making data discoverable and accessible.

But while these tools are great for discovery, they fall short in one key area: security. They aren’t built to detect risky permissions, identify regulated data, or prevent unintended exposure. And in an era of growing privacy regulations and data breach threats, that’s a serious limitation.

Different Data Tools, Different Gaps

It’s also important to recognize that not all tools in the data stack work the same way. For example, platforms like Snowflake and BigQuery come with fully managed infrastructure, offering seamless integration between storage, compute, and analytics. Others, like Databricks or Redshift, are often layered on top of external cloud storage services like S3 or ADLS, providing more flexibility but also more complexity.

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Metadata tools have similar divides. AWS Glue is tightly integrated into the AWS ecosystem, while tools like Apache Iceberg and Hive Metastore are open and cloud-agnostic, making them suitable for diverse lakehouse architectures.

This variety introduces fragmentation, and with fragmentation comes risk. Inconsistent access policies, blind spots in data discovery, and siloed oversight can all contribute to security vulnerabilities.

The Blind Spots Metadata Can’t See

Even with a well-maintained catalog, organizations can still find themselves exposed. Metadata tells you what data exists, but it doesn’t reveal when sensitive information slips into the wrong place or becomes overexposed.

This problem is particularly severe in analytics environments. Unlike production environments, where permissions are strictly controlled, or SaaS applications, which have clear ownership and structured access models, data lakes and warehouses function differently. They are designed to collect as much information as possible, allowing analysts to freely explore and query it.

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In practice, this means data often flows in without a clear owner and frequently without strict permissions. Anyone with warehouse access, whether users or automated processes, can add information, and analysts typically have broad query rights across all data. This results in a permissive, loosely governed environment where sensitive data such as PII, financial records, or confidential business information can silently accumulate. Once present, it can be accessed by far more individuals than appropriate.

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The good news is that the remediation process doesn't require a heavy-handed approach. Often, it's not about managing complex permission models or building elaborate remediation workflows. The crucial step is the ability to continuously identify and locate sensitive data, understand its location, and then take the correct action whether that involves removal, masking, or locking it down.

How Sentra Bridges the Gap Between Data Visibility & Security

This is where Sentra comes in.

Sentra’s Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) platform is designed to complement and extend the capabilities of metadata catalogs, not just to address their limitations, but to elevate your entire data security strategy. Instead of replacing your metadata layer, Sentra works alongside it enhancing your visibility with real-time insights and powerful security controls.

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Sentra scans across modern data platforms like Snowflake, S3, BigQuery, and more. It automatically classifies and tags sensitive data, identifies potential exposure risks, and detects compliance violations as they happen.

With Sentra, your metadata becomes actionable.

From Static Maps to Live GPS

Think of your metadata catalog as a map. It shows you what’s out there and how things are connected. But a map is static. It doesn’t tell you when there’s a roadblock, a detour, or a collision. Sentra transforms that map into a live GPS. It alerts you in real time, enforces the rules of the road, and helps you navigate safely no matter how fast your data environment is moving.

Conclusion: Visibility Without Security Is a Risk You Can’t Afford

Metadata catalogs are indispensable for organizing data at scale. But visibility alone doesn’t stop a breach. It doesn’t prevent sensitive data from slipping into the wrong place, or from being accessed by the wrong people.

To truly safeguard your business, you need more than a map of your data—you need a system that continuously detects, classifies, and secures it in real time. Without this, you’re leaving blind spots wide open for attackers, compliance violations, and costly exposure.

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Sentra turns static visibility into active defense. With real-time discovery, context-rich classification, and automated protection, it gives you the confidence to not only see your data, but to secure it.

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See clearly. Understand fully. Protect confidently with Sentra.

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Introduction

We’re excited to announce that Sentra has officially achieved TX-RAMP certification, a significant milestone that underscores our commitment to delivering trusted, compliant, and secure cloud data protection.

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The Texas Risk and Authorization Management Program (TX-RAMP) establishes rigorous security standards for cloud products and services used by Texas state agencies. Achieving this certification validates that Sentra meets and exceeds these standards, ensuring our customers can confidently rely on our platform to safeguard sensitive data.

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For agencies and organizations operating in Texas, this means streamlined procurement, faster adoption, and the assurance that Sentra’s solutions are fully aligned with state-mandated compliance requirements. For our broader customer base, TX-RAMP certification reinforces Sentra’s role as a trusted leader in data security posture management (DSPM) and our ongoing dedication to protecting data everywhere it lives.

What is TX-RAMP?

The Texas Risk and Authorization Management Program (TX-RAMP) is the state’s framework for evaluating the security of cloud solutions used by public sector agencies. Its goal is to ensure that organizations working with Texas state data meet strict standards for risk management, compliance, and operational security.

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TX-RAMP certification focuses on key areas such as:

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• Audit & Accountability: Ensuring system activity is monitored, logged, and reviewed.
• System Integrity: Protecting against malicious code and emerging threats.
• Access Control: Managing user accounts and privileges with least-privilege principles.
• Policy & Governance: Establishing strong security policies and updating them regularly.
  
  

By certifying vendors, TX-RAMP helps agencies reduce risk, streamline procurement, and ensure sensitive state and citizen data is well protected.

Why TX-RAMP Certification Matters

For Texas agencies, TX-RAMP certification means trust and speed. Working with a certified partner like Sentra simplifies procurement, reduces onboarding time, and provides confidence that solutions meet the state’s toughest security requirements.

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For enterprises and organizations outside Texas, this milestone is just as meaningful. TX-RAMP certification validates that Sentra’s DSPM platform can meet and go beyond some of the most demanding compliance frameworks in the U.S. It’s another proof point that when customers choose Sentra, they are choosing a solution built with security, accountability, and transparency at its core.

Sentra’s Path to TX-RAMP Certification

Achieving TX-RAMP certification required proving that Sentra’s security controls align with strict state requirements.

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Some of the measures that demonstrate compliance include:

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• Audit and Accountability: Continuous monitoring and quarterly reviews of audit logs under SOC 2 Type II governance.
  
• System and Information Integrity: Endpoint protection and weekly scans to prevent, detect, and respond to malicious code.
  
• Access Control: Strong account management practices using Okta, BambooHR, MFA, and quarterly access reviews.
  
• Change Management and Governance: Structured SDLC processes with documented requests, multi-level approvals, and complete audit trails.
  
  

Together, these safeguards show that Sentra doesn’t just comply with TX-RAMP - we exceed the requirements, embedding security into every layer of our operations and platform.

What This Means for Sentra Customers

For Texas agencies, TX-RAMP certification makes it easier and faster to adopt Sentra’s platform, knowing that it has already been vetted against the state’s most stringent standards.

For global enterprises, it’s another layer of assurance: Sentra’s DSPM solution is designed to stand up to the highest levels of compliance practice, giving customers confidence that their most sensitive data is secure - wherever it lives.

Conclusion

Earning TX-RAMP certification is a major milestone in Sentra’s journey, but it’s only part of our broader mission: building trust through security, compliance, and innovation.

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This recognition reinforces Sentra’s role as a leader in data security posture management (DSPM) and gives both public sector and private enterprises confidence that their data is safeguarded by a platform designed for the most demanding environments.

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