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2024.3
  • Immuta Documentation - 2024.3
  • What is Immuta?
  • Self-Managed Deployment
    • Requirements
    • Install
      • Managed Public Cloud
      • Red Hat OpenShift
    • Upgrade
      • Migrating to the New Helm Chart
      • Upgrading (IEHC)
      • Upgrading (IHC)
    • Guides
      • Ingress Configuration
      • TLS Configuration
      • Cosign Verification
      • Production Best Practices
      • Rotating Credentials
      • External Cache Configuration
      • Enabling Legacy Query Engine and Fingerprint
      • Private Container Registries
      • Air-Gapped Environments
    • Disaster Recovery
    • Troubleshooting
    • Conventions
  • Integrations
    • Immuta Integrations
    • Snowflake
      • Getting Started
      • How-to Guides
        • Configure a Snowflake Integration
        • Snowflake Table Grants Migration
        • Edit or Remove Your Snowflake Integration
        • Integration Settings
          • Enable Snowflake Table Grants
          • Use Snowflake Data Sharing with Immuta
          • Configure Snowflake Lineage Tag Propagation
          • Enable Snowflake Low Row Access Policy Mode
            • Upgrade Snowflake Low Row Access Policy Mode
      • Reference Guides
        • Snowflake Integration
        • Snowflake Data Sharing
        • Snowflake Lineage Tag Propagation
        • Snowflake Low Row Access Policy Mode
        • Snowflake Table Grants
        • Warehouse Sizing Recommendations
      • Phased Snowflake Onboarding Concept Guide
    • Databricks Unity Catalog
      • Getting Started
      • How-to Guides
        • Configure a Databricks Unity Catalog Integration
        • Migrate to Unity Catalog
      • Databricks Unity Catalog Integration Reference Guide
    • Databricks Spark
      • How-to Guides
        • Configuration
          • Simplified Databricks Spark Configuration
          • Manual Databricks Spark Configuration
          • Manually Update Your Databricks Cluster
          • Install a Trusted Library
        • DBFS Access
        • Limited Enforcement in Databricks Spark
        • Hide the Immuta Database in Databricks
        • Run spark-submit Jobs on Databricks
        • Configure Project UDFs Cache Settings
        • External Metastores
      • Reference Guides
        • Databricks Spark Integration
        • Databricks Spark Pre-Configuration Details
        • Configuration Settings
          • Databricks Spark Cluster Policies
            • Python & SQL
            • Python & SQL & R
            • Python & SQL & R with Library Support
            • Scala
            • Sparklyr
          • Environment Variables
          • Ephemeral Overrides
          • Py4j Security Error
          • Scala Cluster Security Details
          • Databricks Security Configuration for Performance
        • Databricks Change Data Feed
        • Databricks Libraries Introduction
        • Delta Lake API
        • Spark Direct File Reads
        • Databricks Metastore Magic
    • Starburst (Trino)
      • Getting Started
      • How-to Guides
        • Configure Starburst (Trino) Integration
        • Customize Read and Write Access Policies for Starburst (Trino)
      • Starburst (Trino) Integration Reference Guide
    • Redshift
      • Getting Started
      • How-to Guides
        • Configure Redshift Integration
        • Configure Redshift Spectrum
      • Reference Guides
        • Redshift Integration
        • Redshift Pre-Configuration Details
    • Azure Synapse Analytics
      • Getting Started
      • Configure Azure Synapse Analytics Integration
      • Reference Guides
        • Azure Synapse Analytics Integration
        • Azure Synapse Analytics Pre-Configuration Details
    • Amazon S3
    • Google BigQuery
    • Legacy Integrations
      • Securing Hive and Impala Without Sentry
      • Enabling ImmutaGroupsMapping
    • Catalogs
      • Getting Started with External Catalogs
      • Configure an External Catalog
      • Reference Guides
        • External Catalogs
        • Custom REST Catalogs
          • Custom REST Catalog Interface Endpoints
  • Data
    • Registering Metadata
      • Data Sources in Immuta
      • Register Data Sources
        • Create a Data Source
        • Create an Amazon S3 Data Source
        • Create a Google BigQuery Data Source
        • Bulk Create Snowflake Data Sources
      • Data Source Settings
        • How-to Guides
          • Manage Data Sources and Data Source Settings
          • Manage Data Source Members
          • Manage Access Requests and Tasks
          • Manage Data Dictionary Descriptions
          • Disable Immuta from Sampling Raw Data
        • Data Source Health Checks Reference Guide
      • Schema Monitoring
        • How-to Guides
          • Run Schema Monitoring and Column Detection Jobs
          • Manage Schema Monitoring
        • Reference Guides
          • Schema Monitoring
          • Schema Projects
        • Why Use Schema Monitoring?
    • Domains
      • Getting Started with Domains
      • Domains Reference Guide
    • Tags
      • How-to Guides
        • Create and Manage Tags
        • Add Tags to Data Sources and Projects
      • Tags Reference Guide
  • People
    • Getting Started
    • Identity Managers (IAMs)
      • How-to Guides
        • Okta LDAP Interface
        • OpenID Connect
          • OpenID Connect Protocol
          • Okta and OpenID Connect
          • OneLogin with OpenID
        • SAML
          • SAML Protocol
          • Microsoft Entra ID
          • Okta SAML SCIM
      • Reference Guides
        • Identity Managers
        • SAML Single Logout
        • SAML Protocol Configuration Options
    • Immuta Users
      • How-to Guides
        • Managing Personas and Permissions
        • Manage Attributes and Groups
        • User Impersonation
        • External User ID Mapping
        • External User Info Endpoint
      • Reference Guides
        • Attributes and Groups in Immuta
        • Permissions and Personas
  • Discover Your Data
    • Getting Started with Discover
    • Introduction
    • Data Discovery
      • How-to Guides
        • Enable Sensitive Data Discovery (SDD)
        • Manage Identification Frameworks
        • Manage Identifiers
        • Run and Manage SDD on Data Sources
        • Manage Sensitive Data Discovery Settings
        • Migrate From Legacy to Native SDD
      • Reference Guides
        • How Competitive Criteria Analysis Works
        • Built-in Identifier Reference
        • Built-in Discovered Tags Reference
    • Data Classification
      • How-to Guides
        • Activate Classification Frameworks
        • Adjust Identification and Classification Framework Tags
        • How to Use a Built-In Classification Framework with Your Own Tags
      • Built-in Classification Frameworks Reference Guide
  • Detect Your Activity
    • Getting Started with Detect
      • Monitor and Secure Sensitive Data Platform Query Activity
        • User Identity Best Practices
        • Integration Architecture
        • Snowflake Roles Best Practices
        • Register Data Sources
        • Automate Entity and Sensitivity Discovery
        • Detect with Discover: Onboarding Guide
        • Using Immuta Detect
      • General Immuta Configuration
        • User Identity Best Practices
        • Integration Architecture
        • Databricks Roles Best Practices
        • Register Data Sources
    • Introduction
    • Audit
      • How-to Guides
        • Export Audit Logs to S3
        • Export Audit Logs to ADLS
        • Run Governance Reports
      • Reference Guides
        • Universal Audit Model (UAM)
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          • Snowflake Query Audit Logs
          • Databricks Unity Catalog Query Audit Logs
          • Databricks Spark Query Audit Logs
          • Starburst (Trino) Query Audit Logs
        • Audit Export GraphQL Reference Guide
        • Governance Report Types
        • Unknown Users in Audit Logs
      • Deprecated Audit Guides
        • Legacy to UAM Migration
        • Download Audit Logs
        • System Audit Logs
    • Dashboards
      • Use the Detect Dashboards How-To Guide
      • Detect Dashboards Reference Guide
    • Monitors
      • Manage Monitors and Observations
      • Detect Monitors Reference Guide
  • Secure Your Data
    • Getting Started with Secure
      • Automate Data Access Control Decisions
        • The Two Paths: Orchestrated RBAC and ABAC
        • Managing User Metadata
        • Managing Data Metadata
        • Author Policy
        • Test and Deploy Policy
      • Compliantly Open More Sensitive Data for ML and Analytics
        • Managing User Metadata
        • Managing Data Metadata
        • Author Policy
      • Federated Governance for Data Mesh and Self-Serve Data Access
        • Defining Domains
        • Managing Data Products
        • Managing Data Metadata
        • Apply Federated Governance
        • Discover and Subscribe to Data Products
    • Introduction
      • Scalability and Evolvability
      • Understandability
      • Distributed Stewardship
      • Consistency
      • Availability of Data
    • Authoring Policies in Secure
      • Authoring Policies at Scale
      • Data Engineering with Limited Policy Downtime
      • Subscription Policies
        • How-to Guides
          • Author a Subscription Policy
          • Author an ABAC Subscription Policy
          • Subscription Policies Advanced DSL Guide
          • Author a Restricted Subscription Policy
          • Clone, Activate, or Stage a Global Policy
        • Reference Guides
          • Subscription Policies
          • Subscription Policy Access Types
          • Advanced Use of Special Functions
      • Data Policies
        • Overview
        • How-to Guides
          • Author a Masking Data Policy
          • Author a Minimization Policy
          • Author a Purpose-Based Restriction Policy
          • Author a Restricted Data Policy
          • Author a Row-Level Policy
          • Author a Time-Based Restriction Policy
          • Certifications Exemptions and Diffs
          • External Masking Interface
        • Reference Guides
          • Data Policy Types
          • Masking Policies
          • Row-Level Policies
          • Custom WHERE Clause Functions
          • Data Policy Conflicts and Fallback
          • Custom Data Policy Certifications
          • Orchestrated Masking Policies
    • Projects and Purpose-Based Access Control
      • Projects and Purpose Controls
        • Getting Started
        • How-to Guides
          • Create a Project
          • Create and Manage Purposes
          • Adjust a Policy
          • Project Management
            • Manage Projects and Project Settings
            • Manage Project Data Sources
            • Manage Project Members
        • Reference Guides
          • Projects and Purposes
          • Policy Adjustments
        • Why Use Purposes?
      • Equalized Access
        • Manage Project Equalization
        • Project Equalization Reference Guide
        • Why Use Project Equalization?
      • Masked Joins
        • Enable Masked Joins
        • Why Use Masked Joins?
      • Writing to Projects
        • How-to Guides
          • Create and Manage Snowflake Project Workspaces
          • Create and Manage Databricks Spark Project Workspaces
          • Write Data to the Workspace
        • Reference Guides
          • Project Workspaces
          • Project UDFs (Databricks)
    • Data Consumers
      • Subscribe to a Data Source
      • Query Data
        • Querying Snowflake Data
        • Querying Databricks Data
        • Querying Databricks SQL Data
        • Querying Starburst (Trino) Data
        • Querying Redshift Data
        • Querying Azure Synapse Analytics Data
      • Subscribe to Projects
  • Application Settings
    • How-to Guides
      • App Settings
      • BI Tools
        • BI Tool Configuration Recommendations
        • Power BI Configuration Example
        • Tableau Configuration Example
      • Add a License Key
      • Add ODBC Drivers
      • Manage Encryption Keys
      • System Status Bundle
    • Reference Guides
      • Data Processing, Encryption, and Masking Practices
      • Metadata Ingestion
  • Releases
    • Immuta v2024.3 Release Notes
    • Immuta Release Lifecycle
    • Immuta LTS Changelog
    • Immuta Support Matrix Overview
    • Immuta CLI Release Notes
    • Immuta Image Digests
    • Preview Features
      • Features in Preview
    • Deprecations
  • Developer Guides
    • The Immuta CLI
      • Install and Configure the Immuta CLI
      • Manage Your Immuta Tenant
      • Manage Data Sources
      • Manage Sensitive Data Discovery
        • Manage Sensitive Data Discovery Rules
        • Manage Identification Frameworks
        • Run Sensitive Data Discovery on Data Sources
      • Manage Policies
      • Manage Projects
      • Manage Purposes
      • Manage Audit
    • The Immuta API
      • Integrations API
        • Getting Started
        • How-to Guides
          • Configure an Amazon S3 Integration
          • Configure an Azure Synapse Analytics Integration
          • Configure a Databricks Unity Catalog Integration
          • Configure a Google BigQuery Integration
          • Configure a Redshift Integration
          • Configure a Snowflake Integration
          • Configure a Starburst (Trino) Integration
        • Reference Guides
          • Integrations API Endpoints
          • Integration Configuration Payload
          • Response Schema
          • HTTP Status Codes and Error Messages
      • Immuta V2 API
        • Data Source Payload Attribute Details
        • Data Source Request Payload Examples
        • Create Policies API Examples
        • Create Projects API Examples
        • Create Purposes API Examples
      • Immuta V1 API
        • Authenticate with the API
        • Configure Your Instance of Immuta
          • Get Fingerprint Status
          • Get Job Status
          • Manage Frameworks
          • Manage IAMs
          • Manage Licenses
          • Manage Notifications
          • Manage Sensitive Data Discovery (SDD)
          • Manage Tags
          • Manage Webhooks
          • Search Filters
        • Connect Your Data
          • Create and Manage an Amazon S3 Data Source
          • Create an Azure Synapse Analytics Data Source
          • Create an Azure Blob Storage Data Source
          • Create a Databricks Data Source
          • Create a Presto Data Source
          • Create a Redshift Data Source
          • Create a Snowflake Data Source
          • Create a Starburst (Trino) Data Source
          • Manage the Data Dictionary
        • Manage Data Access
          • Manage Access Requests
          • Manage Data and Subscription Policies
          • Manage Domains
          • Manage Write Policies
            • Write Policies Payloads and Response Schema Reference Guide
          • Policy Handler Objects
          • Search Audit Logs
          • Search Connection Strings
          • Search for Organizations
          • Search Schemas
        • Subscribe to and Manage Data Sources
        • Manage Projects and Purposes
          • Manage Projects
          • Manage Purposes
        • Generate Governance Reports
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  • Create exceptions to policies
  • Workflow

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  1. Secure Your Data
  2. Projects and Purpose-Based Access Control
  3. Projects and Purpose Controls

Why Use Purposes?

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In today’s world of modern privacy regulations, deciding what a single user can see is not just about who they are, but what they are doing. For example, the same user may not be able to see credit card information normally, but if they are doing fraud detection work, they are allowed to.

This may sound silly because it’s the same person doing the analysis, so why should we make this distinction? This gets into a larger discussion about controls. When most think about controls, we think about data controls - how do we hide enough information (hide rows, mask columns) to lower our risk. There’s a second control called contextual controls; what this amounts to is having a user agree they will only use data for a certain purpose and not step beyond that purpose. Combining contextual controls with data controls is the most effective way to reduce your overall risk.

In addition to the data controls you’ve seen, Immuta is also able to enforce contextual controls through what we term purposes. You are able to assign exceptions to policies, and those exceptions can be the purpose of the analysis in addition to who the user is (and what attributes they have). This is done through Immuta projects; projects contain data sources, have members, and are also protected by policy, but most importantly, projects can also have a purpose which can act as an exception to data policy. Projects can also be a self-service mechanism for users to access data for predetermined purposes without having to involve humans for ad hoc approvals.

Create exceptions to policies

The goal of Immuta is to modernize the management of data policies in organizations. One key aspect of modernization is to remove day-to-day human involvement in policy decision making, which is fragile and subjective. One decision process is how and when to make exceptions to policies.

This decision process could be something like: “because Morgan is analyzing employee attrition and retention, they should be able to see employee satisfaction survey data.” Notice it is not “because Morgan is HR, they should be able to see employee satisfaction survey data.” It’s not who Morgan is, but what Morgan is doing that should allow them heightened access. The purpose for data access drives the policy decision and can be approved objectively because you are not approving who can see data, but what can be done with it. However, if Morgan has to ask permission every time there is a new survey, this becomes a subjective and time-consuming process for the organization.

This is where purposes and purpose-based access control can help. Purposes allow you to define exceptions to rules as the purpose for which the user is acting. The key point here is you can define these purposes ahead of time, before any user actually tries to get an exception. Immuta projects are valuable not just for purpose-based access control, but because of the documentation trail they provide, the collaboration they allow, and the data access process they automate.

Additionally, to ensure that purposes are being used correctly and applied accurately, project purposes must be approved before the purpose is active in a project. That approver will see the lists of tables, the project members, and project documentation and decide if they want to approve it or not. This approval is recorded by Immuta, creating a documentation trail. After a purpose is approved within a project, any changes to the members or data sources will require the purpose to be re-approved, ensuring that the project continues to be compliant to an organization's requirements.

Workflow

Purpose-based access control makes access decisions based on the purpose for which a given user or tool intends to use the data, which reduces risk and aligns with many privacy regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA. This method of data access also provides flexibility for you to override policies and grant access to unmasked data to an individual for a very specific reason, without time-consuming and ad hoc manual approvals.

Immuta recommends using to create exceptions to global data policies.

See this for instructions on how to implement purpose-based access control for your organization.

Getting started guide
purposes