Snowflake PHI Exposure Remediation

Learn how to fix PHI exposure in Snowflake environments. Follow step-by-step guidance for HIPAA compliance and secure data handling.

unencrypted sensitive data

HIPAA

snowflake

Why It Matters

The core goal is to immediately remediate exposed Protected Health Information (PHI) within your Snowflake environment, implementing proper access controls, masking policies, and encryption to prevent HIPAA violations. Fixing PHI exposure in Snowflake is critical for healthcare organizations, as it directly addresses compliance requirements and prevents costly data breaches that could result in regulatory fines and reputational damage.

Primary Risk: Unencrypted sensitive data accessible to unauthorized users

Relevant Regulation: HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)

Swift remediation ensures HIPAA compliance, protects patient privacy, and establishes robust data governance frameworks for ongoing security.

Prerequisites

Permissions & Roles

  • ACCOUNTADMIN or SECURITYADMIN role
  • OWNERSHIP on affected databases and schemas
  • CREATE MASKING POLICY privileges
  • APPLY MASKING POLICY permissions

External Tools

  • SnowSQL CLI or Snowflake Web UI
  • Cyera DSPM platform
  • Data classification reports

Prior Setup

  • PHI exposure identified and mapped
  • Business impact assessment completed
  • Stakeholder approval for remediation
  • Backup and rollback plan prepared

Introducing Cyera

Cyera is a modern Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) platform that uses AI-powered Named Entity Recognition (NER) and advanced pattern matching to automatically identify and classify PHI across your Snowflake environment. By leveraging machine learning models trained on healthcare data patterns, Cyera not only discovers exposed PHI but also provides automated remediation workflows and continuous monitoring to ensure your Snowflake data warehouse maintains HIPAA compliance.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Assess and prioritize PHI exposures

Review Cyera's classification reports to identify all PHI columns, their sensitivity levels, and current access patterns. Prioritize tables with the highest risk scores and broadest access permissions.

SELECT table_name, column_name, sensitivity_score FROM cyera_phi_findings ORDER BY risk_score DESC;

2
Implement dynamic data masking policies

Create masking policies for different PHI data types. Apply these policies to identified columns to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access while maintaining data utility for authorized users.

CREATE MASKING POLICY phi_ssn_mask AS (val string) RETURNS string -> CASE WHEN CURRENT_ROLE() IN ('HEALTHCARE_ADMIN', 'COMPLIANCE_OFFICER') THEN val ELSE REGEXP_REPLACE(val, '(\d{3})-(\d{2})-(\d{4})', 'XXX-XX-\3') END;

3
Configure row access policies

Implement row-level security to ensure users can only access PHI records they're authorized to view. Create policies based on user roles, departments, and business requirements.

CREATE ROW ACCESS POLICY phi_patient_access AS (patient_id string) RETURNS boolean -> CURRENT_ROLE() = 'HEALTHCARE_ADMIN' OR EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM user_patient_mapping WHERE user_name = CURRENT_USER() AND patient_id = patient_id);

4
Enable encryption and secure data sharing

Ensure all PHI tables have proper encryption at rest and in transit. Configure secure data sharing with external partners using Snowflake's native sharing capabilities while maintaining HIPAA compliance.

ALTER TABLE patient_records SET STAGE_COPY_OPTIONS = (ENCRYPTION = (TYPE = 'SNOWFLAKE_SSE'));

Architecture & Workflow

Cyera AI Classification

Identifies and maps PHI using NER and ML models

Snowflake Masking Policies

Column-level protection with dynamic masking

Row Access Policies

Row-level security based on user context

Continuous Monitoring

Ongoing compliance validation and alerting

Remediation Flow Summary

Identify PHI → Apply Policies → Validate Access → Monitor Compliance

Best Practices & Tips

Policy Management

  • Test masking policies in development first
  • Use role-based masking for flexibility
  • Document all policy decisions for audits

Access Control Strategy

  • Implement principle of least privilege
  • Regular access reviews and certifications
  • Use time-bound access for temporary needs

Common Pitfalls

  • Forgetting to apply policies to new tables
  • Over-masking that breaks business processes
  • Insufficient testing of policy changes

References & Further Reading

Next Steps

🛡️ Prevent: Establish proactive PHI protection controls 🔍 Detect: Set up continuous PHI monitoring