Use Spirion to Scan Your Computer for Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

Data breaches are prevalent and can be costly, so TU makes Spirion Identify Finder available to all faculty and staff. Spirion is software that scans both laptop and desktop computers to reveal personally identifiable information (PII), such as social security, credit card, driver's license, passport and bank account numbers. Learn how to scan your computer to detect and fix PII vulnerabilities.

Scan your computer

1. Double click the Spirion icon on your desktop or in your applications menu.
   • The first time you use the application, the Spirion Profile Password box will display, and you will be prompted to create a profile password.
   • Use a memorable password that is not your TU NetID password.
   • If you forget your password, you will not be able to access the information in your profile. But you can create a new profile to continue using Spirion.
2. Enter and Confirm your password in the designated boxes and select Next >. A Spirion Profile Password Set window will display.
3. Select the OK button. The Spirion Search Wizard box will display.
4. Select the Continue Search Wizard button.
5. Select the Configure Search button.
6. The Automatic Search Using AnyFind box will display. Make sure to select:
   • Social Security Numbers
   • Credit Card Numbers
   • Bank Account Numbers
   • Driver Licenses
   • Passport Numbers
7. Select the Next > button.
8. The Locations box will display. Make sure to select the following under Locations:
   • Files and Compressed Files
   • Browsers
   • E-Mails and Attachments.
9. Under File Locations, select My Computer. This recommended setting will scan your
   • Hard drive
   • Mounted CDs and DVDs
   • Any USB drive that is connected to your machine
10. Select the Next button. The Confirmation box will display a summary of your search selections.
11. Select the Finish button.
12. The scan will begin, and a Status box will display.

Process the scan results

When the security scan finishes, Spirion will display a Search Summary window. You must then decide what to do with the files found to be a security risk.

1. Select the Wizard icon in the Search Summary box to step through the results.
2. Spirion explains how identified files will display.
   • As you advance from page to page, Spirion will display files that present a security risk.
   • Spirion presents files found in email first and then in folders.
3. Select Next.
    

Process email results

If vulnerable email files are reported, the Wizard presents options to Shred or Ignore. If PII is present, you must remove the files from your computer. If no email files were found, skip to the Folders results.

1. Select the checkbox beside each detected email, then select Shred Selected. Spirion searches email bodies and attachments. If PII is found in an attachment, the attachment and email will be shredded.
2. Select Next. The Spirion box will notify you that these items will be disposed of properly.
3. Select Yes. A message will confirm that the items were shredded and the email was removed from Outlook.
4. Select OK.
    

Process folders results

If PII is found in folders, Spirion presents an additional option to Quarantine Selected. This option is only recommended if you are currently a secure share owner.

1. Select the checkbox beside each detected file, then select Quarantine Selected.
2. Select Next. Spirion will prompt you to either enter a location for the quarantined file or to shred the file.
3. In the Quarantine window, select the more (…) button to identify a secure share. This is the only secure location for a PII.
4. If you have been given access to a secure share, it will appear in the Browse for Folder window.
   1. Choose the location.
   2. Select the OK button. Spirion will quarantine the files.
5. If you do not have a secure share, detected PII must be removed from your computer.
   1. Select the Shred Selected option.
   2. Select the files containing PII.
   3. Select the Next button. Spirion will display a warning and allow you a second chance to review the items about to be shredded.
   4. Select the Yes button to shred. Spirion will display a message confirming the item(s) were shredded.
   5. Select the OK button.
6. Spirion will display instructions for scheduling periodic searches. If you want to perform future searches manually instead of automatically, uncheck the box beside Schedule a weekly search and then select the Finish button.