In just a few months, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – designed to protect EU citizens’ data – will come into force.
By May 2018, organisations that work with personal data will have to become compliant or face the consequences. Here are some steps to take to ensure compliance:
Do a compliance audit
Before you can take any steps to ensure GDPR compliance, you need to understand the GDPR legislation. What are the implications of not meeting the requirements? You can get a better understanding of this by hiring a data protection officer to explain and implement the regulations.
Classify your data
The first step in classifying your data is by finding any Personal Identifiable Information (PII) (information that can directly or indirectly identify somebody). Identify where it’s stored, who it’s shared with, and who has access to it. This will make it easier to determine which data needs the most protection.
Protect the user’s privacy
Once you’ve identified the data, it’s time to evaluate how it’s being produced and protected. Go through all the data and ask yourself if you really need it and why. Do you have data protection strategies in place? Data protection strategies include encryption, pseudonymisation, and centralised visibility.
Plan ahead
As the due date is drawing close, make sure you implement these strategies as soon as you can. Not only will it show your commitment to the new regulation, but you’ll also avoid a hefty fine.
GCL can help you ensure GDPR compliance by supplying your organisation with new, fully compliant, opt-in databases. If you want to know more about preparing for GDPR, download our guide.
