Proposal for an HTML Standard to Mark Sensitive Data

[dataslayermedia]

1. Introduction

Problem:

As next-level analytics tools capture more of the end-user experience, such as session replay or co-browsing software, applications will need to be able to mark sensitive data fields to be blocked from inadvertent capture. Examples of such data include:

Personally Identifiable Information (PII): Names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses.

Protected Health Information (PHI): Medical records, insurance details.

Payment Card Information (PCI): Credit card numbers, expiration dates, CVV codes.

Social Security Numbers:

Financial Information: Bank account details, income data.

Goal:

To establish a standardized mechanism within HTML to explicitly mark elements containing sensitive data. This will enable session replay tools and other data processing systems to handle sensitive information appropriately and securely.

2. Proposed Solution: The data-sensitivity Attribute

Mechanism:

Introduce a new attribute, data-sensitivity, applicable to any HTML element.

Values:

block: Instructs session replay tools and data processing systems to avoid capturing the content of the element and its descendants.

encrypt: Instructs session replay tools and data processing systems to encrypt the content of the element and its descendants before recording or transmitting.

3. Examples

Billing Address:

<div data-sensitivity="block">
  <input type="text" name="street">
  <input type="text" name="city">
  <input type="text" name="state">
  <input type="text" name="zip">
</div>

Social Security Number:

<input type="text" name="ssn" data-sensitivity="encrypt">

Credit Card Information:

<div data-sensitivity="block">
  <input type="text" name="card_number">
  <input type="text" name="exp_month">
  <input type="text" name="exp_year">
  <input type="text" name="cvv">
</div>

4. Considerations and Enhancements

Accessibility:

Ensure that the data-sensitivity attribute does not interfere with assistive technologies, preserving usability for users with disabilities.

Collaboration:

Engage with browser vendors, session replay tool providers, privacy experts, and standards bodies (e.g., W3C) to refine and implement this standard.

5. Conclusion

This proposal aims to establish a standardized mechanism within HTML to explicitly mark elements containing sensitive data. The introduction of the data-sensitivity attribute will enable session replay tools and other data processing systems to handle sensitive information more responsibly and securely as well as speed up implementation of these tools.

Session Replay: Tools: FullStory, Hotjar, LogRocket, Smartlook, Microsoft Clarity.
CoBrowse Tools: Glance, Upscope, Surfly, Acquire, Talkative.

[pransh15]

Hi, I'm Pranshu, the Community Manager at MDN. I want to thank you for your contribution! 🎉

We appreciate you taking the time to submit this. Someone from the team will review it soon and follow up if there are any questions or feedback. Stay tuned!

[Josh-Cena]

This is not the right place to make feature proposals. We don't implement or specify web features. If you want to see new web platform features, please propose it to one of the standard bodies, such as whatwg/html.