Which data type would typically be considered personally identifiable information (PII)?

• A. Social security number
• B. Height
• C. Salary
• D. Hair color

Answer: (A)

PII is data that can identify a person, either on its own or when combined with other information. A Social Security Number is a unique identifier assigned to individuals and is widely used to pinpoint a specific person, so it clearly qualifies as PII. Height, salary, and hair color describe personal attributes but do not uniquely identify someone by themselves; they could aid identification only when paired with additional data. So the data type typically considered PII here is the Social Security Number.