Data Management Glossary
Regex (Regular Expressions)
What is Regex?
Regex, short for regular expressions, is a sequence of characters that defines a search pattern. It is commonly used in text processing to match, locate, and manage specific strings or data formats (e.g., email addresses, ID numbers, dates). For an overview of regex history and examples visit the Wikipedia definition here.
Why Does Regex Matter for Sensitive Data Detection?
Regex is essential for detecting sensitive or custom data formats because it goes beyond simple keyword matching. With regex, organizations can:
- Identify standard PII such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, and email addresses.
- Detect custom identifiers unique to an organization, such as employee IDs, patient record numbers, machine IDs, or project codes.
- Reduce the risk of data leakage and breaches by automating detection across massive volumes of unstructured data.
What is the Komprise Solution for Regex Keyword Search?
Komprise delivers built-in regex keyword search within its Smart Data Workflows automation. This enables customers to:
- Scan for both predefined PII types and custom data formats defined by regex patterns.
- Classify and tag sensitive information across unstructured data sets. (See Unstructured Data Classification)
- Automate governance workflows to mitigate risk, enforce compliance, and prepare AI data pipelines without exposing protected data.
