Patent ID: 7917532

Claim:
A system for tracking data, the system comprising: a network; a computer connected to the network and configured to receive data characteristics of the data, the data characteristics including at least sensitivity score for the data, wherein the sensitivity score is based at least in part upon the data's type, the computer further configured to receive entity characteristics of a plurality of external entities with which the data may be shared, the entity characteristics including at least a name for each of the plurality of external entities and a risk-of-release rating for each of the plurality of external entities, wherein the risk-of-release rating is based at least in part upon each of the plurality of external entities' business type and at least in part upon each of the plurality of external entities' past security performance and present security expertise; the computer is further configured to accept entry of characteristics of data that was released without authorization by a data holder; and a database connected to the computer, the database configured to store a record of the one or more data characteristics and the one or more entity characteristics, wherein the database is exclusively accessible by the data holder that is a business entity and the record is uniquely identifiable in the database by the data holder and provides information to the data holder regarding with which of the plurality of external entities the data is shared such that the information allows the data holder to identify one or more of the plurality of external entities as a source of a release of shared data by matching the entry of the characteristics of the data that was released with the risk-of-release ratings.