Fill Data Type
Overview
The Fill Data Types capability allows you to synchronise your Akto instance with the latest sensitive data type definitions maintained by Akto. This synchronisation helps your sensitive data detection stay aligned with evolving data formats, regulatory requirements, and industry patterns without affecting local customisations.
Akto Behaviour When Fill Data Types Runs
When you trigger Fill Data Types, Akto performs a controlled synchronisation with its maintained data type repositories.
The synchronisation process performs the following actions:
Downloads the latest sensitive data type definitions curated by Akto
Creates new data types that are not present in your instance
Updates Akto managed data types that have not been customised
Preserves all user-defined configurations and overrides
The synchronisation process runs in the background and does not interrupt active scans or traffic processing.
Scenarios Where Fill Data Types Adds Value
Recommended Usage Scenarios
Using Fill Data Types is useful in the following situations:
During initial Akto setup to populate a complete baseline of sensitive data types
After Akto releases updates containing new or improved detection patterns
When certain sensitive fields are not being detected as expected
As part of a quarterly maintenance cycle to refresh detection coverage
Scenarios Where Fill Data Types Is Not Required
Running Fill Data Types is usually unnecessary when:
All required data types are already present and current
Your organization relies exclusively on fully custom data types
You are actively editing detection patterns and want to avoid interim updates
Steps to Run Fill Data Types
You can run the synchronization directly from the Akto dashboard:
Navigate to Agentic AI Discovery → Sensitive Data
Select Fill Data Types from the top-right corner of the page
Allow the background sync process to complete
Refresh the page to view updated and newly added data types
Operational Characteristics and Performance
The Fill Data Types operation has minimal operational impact:
Runs asynchronously in the background
Typically completes within 10–30 seconds
Does not pause or restart running scans
Safe to execute during normal production usage
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Possible causes and checks include:
Network connectivity restrictions preventing repository access
Insufficient user permissions within Akto
Browser-side errors visible in developer console logs
If certain data types do not appear after synchronization:
Re-run Fill Data Types to recover from an incomplete sync
Verify the data types are marked active in Akto-maintained sources
Contact Akto support when required data types remain unavailable
Recommended Operational Practices
You may improve long-term accuracy and governance by following these practices:
Run Fill Data Types quarterly or after major Akto releases
Review newly added data types and adjust priorities as needed
Validate detection behaviour with a targeted test scan after updates
Maintain internal documentation for any custom data types
Support and Additional Resources
Learn about Sensitive Data Concepts
Akto Support: Contact the Akto support team through official channels
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