Agent skill
sentry-data-handling
Configure GDPR-compliant data handling, PII scrubbing, and data retention policies in Sentry. Use when implementing beforeSend filters, server-side data scrubbing rules, IP anonymization, data subject deletion requests, or SOC 2 audit controls. Trigger with phrases like "sentry pii scrubbing", "sentry gdpr", "sentry data privacy", "scrub sensitive data sentry", "sentry data retention", "sentry compliance".
Install this agent skill to your Project
npx add-skill https://github.com/jeremylongshore/claude-code-plugins-plus-skills/tree/main/plugins/saas-packs/sentry-pack/skills/sentry-data-handling
SKILL.md
Sentry Data Handling
Configure PII scrubbing, GDPR compliance, data retention, and audit controls for Sentry. This skill covers client-side filtering with beforeSend, server-side scrubbing rules, data subject erasure via API, and SOC 2 compliance patterns.
Overview
Sentry captures error context that often contains personally identifiable information (PII) — emails in stack traces, credit card numbers in request bodies, IP addresses in headers. Production deployments must scrub this data at two layers: client-side via beforeSend hooks (before data leaves the application) and server-side via Sentry's built-in Data Scrubber (defense in depth). GDPR requires additional controls: consent-based initialization, data subject deletion endpoints, and a signed Data Processing Agreement. This skill implements all three layers with TypeScript and Python examples, plus verification tests to prove scrubbing works end-to-end.
Prerequisites
- Sentry SDK v8 installed and initialized (
@sentry/nodeorsentry-sdk) - Sentry project with Admin or Owner role (required for Security & Privacy settings)
- Compliance requirements documented (GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, or SOC 2)
- Auth token with
project:writeandorg:adminscopes for API operations - Data Processing Agreement signed at https://sentry.io/legal/dpa/ (GDPR requirement)
Instructions
Step 1 — Client-Side PII Scrubbing with beforeSend
The first defense layer prevents PII from leaving your application. Configure beforeSend, beforeSendTransaction, and beforeBreadcrumb hooks during SDK initialization:
import * as Sentry from '@sentry/node';
Sentry.init({
dsn: process.env.SENTRY_DSN,
// CRITICAL: disable automatic PII collection
// When false, Sentry will NOT capture IP addresses, cookies, or user-agent
sendDefaultPii: false,
beforeSend(event) {
return scrubEvent(event);
},
beforeSendTransaction(event) {
return scrubEvent(event);
},
beforeBreadcrumb(breadcrumb) {
if (breadcrumb.data) {
const sensitiveKeys = ['password', 'token', 'secret', 'api_key', 'authorization'];
for (const key of sensitiveKeys) {
if (breadcrumb.data[key]) {
breadcrumb.data[key] = '[REDACTED]';
}
}
}
return breadcrumb;
},
});
Implement the scrubEvent function to strip PII from headers, request bodies, error messages, and user context:
function scrubEvent(event: Sentry.Event): Sentry.Event | null {
// Strip sensitive headers
if (event.request?.headers) {
const redactHeaders = ['Authorization', 'Cookie', 'X-Api-Key', 'X-Auth-Token'];
for (const header of redactHeaders) {
delete event.request.headers[header];
}
}
// Scrub request body fields
if (event.request?.data) {
const data = typeof event.request.data === 'string'
? safeJsonParse(event.request.data)
: event.request.data;
if (data && typeof data === 'object') {
scrubObject(data as Record<string, unknown>);
event.request.data = JSON.stringify(data);
}
}
// Scrub PII patterns from error messages
if (event.exception?.values) {
for (const exc of event.exception.values) {
if (exc.value) {
exc.value = scrubPiiPatterns(exc.value);
}
}
}
// Reduce user context to anonymous ID only
if (event.user) {
event.user = { id: event.user.id };
}
return event;
}
function scrubObject(obj: Record<string, unknown>): void {
const sensitiveKeys = [
'password', 'passwd', 'secret', 'token', 'api_key', 'apiKey',
'ssn', 'social_security', 'credit_card', 'cc_number', 'cvv',
'email', 'phone', 'address', 'dob', 'date_of_birth',
];
for (const key of Object.keys(obj)) {
if (sensitiveKeys.some(sk => key.toLowerCase().includes(sk))) {
obj[key] = '[REDACTED]';
} else if (typeof obj[key] === 'string') {
obj[key] = scrubPiiPatterns(obj[key] as string);
} else if (typeof obj[key] === 'object' && obj[key] !== null) {
scrubObject(obj[key] as Record<string, unknown>);
}
}
}
function scrubPiiPatterns(str: string): string {
return str
.replace(/[a-zA-Z0-9._%+-]+@[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}/g, '[EMAIL]')
.replace(/\b\d{4}[\s-]?\d{4}[\s-]?\d{4}[\s-]?\d{1,7}\b/g, '[CC_NUMBER]')
.replace(/\b\d{3}-\d{2}-\d{4}\b/g, '[SSN]')
.replace(/\b(\+1)?[\s-]?\(?\d{3}\)?[\s-]?\d{3}[\s-]?\d{4}\b/g, '[PHONE]');
}
function safeJsonParse(str: string): unknown {
try { return JSON.parse(str); } catch { return null; }
}
Python equivalent — use the same before_send pattern:
import sentry_sdk
import re
def scrub_event(event, hint):
"""Remove PII from Sentry events before transmission."""
# Strip sensitive headers
request = event.get("request", {})
headers = request.get("headers", {})
for key in ["Authorization", "Cookie", "X-Api-Key"]:
headers.pop(key, None)
# Scrub user context to anonymous ID
user = event.get("user")
if user:
event["user"] = {"id": user.get("id")}
# Scrub PII patterns from exception messages
for exc in event.get("exception", {}).get("values", []):
if exc.get("value"):
exc["value"] = re.sub(
r"[a-zA-Z0-9._%+-]+@[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}",
"[EMAIL]", exc["value"]
)
return event
sentry_sdk.init(
dsn=os.environ["SENTRY_DSN"],
send_default_pii=False,
before_send=scrub_event,
traces_sample_rate=0.1,
)
Step 2 — Server-Side Data Scrubbing and IP Anonymization
Server-side scrubbing acts as defense in depth. Configure in Project Settings > Security & Privacy:
- Enable Data Scrubber — automatically redacts values matching common PII field names (password, token, secret)
- Custom Sensitive Fields — add project-specific fields:
password,secret,token,api_key,ssn,credit_card,cvv,authorization
- Safe Fields — fields that must never be scrubbed:
transaction_id,order_id,request_id,trace_id
- Scrub IP Addresses — enable to remove client IPs from all events
- Scrub Credit Cards — detect and remove card number patterns
For advanced regex-based rules, navigate to Project Settings > Security & Privacy > Advanced Data Scrubbing:
# Remove credit card patterns from all string fields
[Remove] [Regex: \d{4}-\d{4}-\d{4}-\d{4}] from [$string]
# Remove email addresses everywhere
[Remove] [Regex: \b[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z]{2,}\b] from [$string]
# Remove SSN patterns
[Remove] [Regex: \b\d{3}-\d{2}-\d{4}\b] from [$string]
# Mask passwords in request bodies
[Mask] [Password] from [extra.request_body]
# Replace credit card data everywhere with placeholder
[Replace] [Credit card] with [REDACTED] from [**]
Data forwarding — if forwarding events to external systems (Splunk, BigQuery), apply the same scrubbing rules at the destination. Configure forwarding in Project Settings > Data Forwarding.
Data retention — configure in Organization Settings > Subscription > Data Retention:
| Plan | Default retention | Maximum retention |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | 30 days | 30 days |
| Team | 90 days | 90 days |
| Business | 90 days | 365 days |
| Enterprise | 90 days | Custom |
Step 3 — GDPR Compliance and Data Subject Requests
Right to be Informed — document Sentry usage in your privacy policy. Disclose what data is collected (stack traces, device info, anonymized user IDs) and the legal basis (legitimate interest in application reliability).
Consent-based initialization — for strict GDPR compliance, gate Sentry on user consent:
function initSentryWithConsent(hasConsent: boolean): void {
if (!hasConsent) {
// Do not initialize Sentry — no data sent
return;
}
Sentry.init({
dsn: process.env.SENTRY_DSN,
sendDefaultPii: false,
beforeSend: scrubEvent,
});
}
Right to Erasure (Article 17) — delete user data via the Sentry API:
# Delete all events for a specific issue
curl -X DELETE \
-H "Authorization: Bearer ${SENTRY_AUTH_TOKEN}" \
"https://sentry.io/api/0/projects/${SENTRY_ORG}/${SENTRY_PROJECT}/issues/${ISSUE_ID}/" \
|| { echo "ERROR: Deletion failed — verify auth token has project:admin scope"; exit 1; }
// Programmatic deletion for data subject requests
async function handleDeletionRequest(userId: string): Promise<void> {
const org = process.env.SENTRY_ORG;
const project = process.env.SENTRY_PROJECT;
const token = process.env.SENTRY_AUTH_TOKEN;
// Search for issues containing user data
const searchRes = await fetch(
`https://sentry.io/api/0/projects/${org}/${project}/issues/?query=user.id:${userId}`,
{ headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${token}` } }
);
if (!searchRes.ok) {
throw new Error(`Search failed: ${searchRes.status} ${searchRes.statusText}`);
}
const issues = await searchRes.json();
// Delete each matching issue
for (const issue of issues) {
const deleteRes = await fetch(
`https://sentry.io/api/0/projects/${org}/${project}/issues/${issue.id}/`,
{ method: 'DELETE', headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${token}` } }
);
if (!deleteRes.ok) {
throw new Error(`Deletion failed for issue ${issue.id}: ${deleteRes.status}`);
}
}
console.log(`Deleted ${issues.length} issues for user ${userId}`);
}
Audit log access — Business and Enterprise plans provide audit logs at Organization Settings > Audit Log. Export via API for SOC 2 evidence:
# Retrieve audit log entries (requires org:admin scope)
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer ${SENTRY_AUTH_TOKEN}" \
"https://sentry.io/api/0/organizations/${SENTRY_ORG}/audit-logs/" \
|| echo "ERROR: Audit logs require Business or Enterprise plan"
SOC 2 compliance checklist:
- Enable audit logging (Business/Enterprise plan required)
- Configure SSO/SAML for authentication
- Enable IP allowlisting for API access
- Set up regular access reviews via role-based access control
- Sign the DPA at https://sentry.io/legal/dpa/
- Document data flow in your security documentation
Output
After completing all three steps, your Sentry deployment will have:
- Client-side PII scrubbing via
beforeSendremoving sensitive headers, request bodies, and PII patterns (emails, SSNs, credit cards, phone numbers) - Server-side Data Scrubber enabled with custom sensitive fields and advanced regex rules
- IP anonymization active across all events
- GDPR-compliant consent gating and data subject deletion endpoint
- Data retention configured per organizational requirements
- Audit log access for SOC 2 compliance evidence
Error Handling
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| PII still visible in events | beforeSend not matching patterns |
Run verification test below; check regex coverage against your data |
| Over-scrubbing useful data | Safe fields not configured | Add field names to the Safe Fields list in Project Settings |
401 Unauthorized on deletion API |
Token missing project:admin scope |
Regenerate auth token with correct scopes at Settings > Auth Tokens |
| Audit logs unavailable | Developer or Team plan | Upgrade to Business or Enterprise for audit log access |
sendDefaultPii: true in production |
Environment-unaware configuration | Gate PII collection: sendDefaultPii: process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production' |
| Data retention not applying | Plan limitation | Verify retention settings match plan tier in Organization Settings |
| GDPR erasure request timeout | Large volume of matching issues | Batch deletions with rate limiting; use ?cursor= pagination |
Examples
Example 1: GDPR-Compliant Node.js Setup (TypeScript)
Request: "Configure Sentry for GDPR compliance in a Node.js Express app"
import * as Sentry from '@sentry/node';
import express from 'express';
// Initialize with full compliance configuration
Sentry.init({
dsn: process.env.SENTRY_DSN,
environment: process.env.NODE_ENV || 'development',
sendDefaultPii: false,
beforeSend(event) {
// Strip all user PII except anonymous ID
if (event.user) {
event.user = { id: event.user.id };
}
// Remove auth headers
if (event.request?.headers) {
delete event.request.headers['Authorization'];
delete event.request.headers['Cookie'];
}
return event;
},
});
const app = express();
// GDPR deletion endpoint
app.delete('/api/gdpr/erasure/:userId', async (req, res) => {
const { userId } = req.params;
try {
await handleDeletionRequest(userId);
res.json({ status: 'deleted', userId });
} catch (error) {
Sentry.captureException(error);
res.status(500).json({ error: 'Deletion failed' });
}
});
Result: PII scrubbing active, IP anonymization enabled server-side, consent-based init, deletion endpoint at /api/gdpr/erasure/:userId.
Example 2: HIPAA-Strict Python Configuration
Request: "Lock down Sentry for a healthcare application — no PHI can be transmitted"
import sentry_sdk
import os
def hipaa_scrub(event, hint):
"""Remove ALL user-identifiable information for HIPAA compliance."""
# Remove entire user context
event.pop("user", None)
# Remove all request headers (may contain PHI in auth tokens)
request = event.get("request", {})
request.pop("headers", None)
request.pop("cookies", None)
request.pop("data", None) # Request body may contain PHI
# Keep only technical error data
return event
sentry_sdk.init(
dsn=os.environ.get("SENTRY_DSN"),
send_default_pii=False,
before_send=hipaa_scrub,
traces_sample_rate=0.05, # Minimal tracing to reduce data exposure
)
Result: Zero user PII transmitted — only stack traces, file paths, and technical metadata reach Sentry.
Example 3: Verify Scrubbing Works
Request: "Test that our PII scrubbing actually removes sensitive data"
// Verification test — send an event with known PII and confirm it's scrubbed
Sentry.withScope((scope) => {
scope.setUser({
id: 'verify-test-001',
email: 'should-be-scrubbed@example.com',
ip_address: '192.168.1.100',
});
scope.setContext('test_data', {
password: 'should-be-scrubbed',
credit_card: '4111-1111-1111-1111',
api_key: 'sk_live_should_be_scrubbed',
safe_field: 'this-should-remain-visible',
});
Sentry.captureMessage('Data scrubbing verification test');
});
// Check the event in Sentry dashboard:
// - email: missing (stripped by beforeSend)
// - ip_address: missing (sendDefaultPii: false)
// - password: [REDACTED]
// - credit_card: [REDACTED]
// - api_key: [REDACTED]
// - safe_field: "this-should-remain-visible" (preserved)
Resources
- Data Scrubbing Rules — client-side scrubbing patterns and regex reference
- Server-Side Scrubbing — dashboard configuration and advanced rules
- GDPR Compliance — consent handling, user deletion, and pseudonymization
- Error Handling Reference — common failure modes and solutions
- Sentry Data Privacy Docs
- Advanced Data Scrubbing
- Sentry GDPR Overview
- Data Processing Agreement
- Sentry Security
Next Steps
- Configure release health to correlate errors with deployments — use the
sentry-release-managementskill - Set up rate limits to control event volume and costs — use the
sentry-rate-limitsskill - Implement role-based access control for team permissions — use the
sentry-enterprise-rbacskill - Add performance monitoring with privacy-safe tracing — use the
sentry-performance-tracingskill
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