1. A method for handling a heap of data objects in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising: selecting a data object in a managed object heap of a software runtime environment of a computer system, wherein the managed object heap includes one or more data objects predetermined to be sensitive, and the selected object is other than a data object predetermined to be sensitive; analyzing paths of access to the selected object via one or more other data objects in the managed object heap through which the selected object is accessible; determining as a result of the analysis whether the selected object is only accessible via known sensitive objects; categorizing the selected object as non-sensitive in response to determining that the selected object is accessible via a known non-sensitive objects; and categorizing the selected data object as sensitive in response to determining that the selected object is only accessible via known sensitive objects.