GDPR requirements and ISO 27001 standard

Personal data protection has become vital due to the growing number of data breaches in today's digital world. In Europe, new regulations began to operate in 2018, affecting all companies worldwide that work with residents of the European Union (EU). These laws set new standards for data security and impose high penalties for violations.

What is GDPR?

One of the most important laws in this area is the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It was adopted in the EU in 2016 and went into effect on May 25, 2018. The GDPR defines the rules for processing and protecting the personal data of EU citizens.

Companies that collect, store, process, or transfer the personal data of EU residents, according to the GDPR, must comply with strict requirements for processing such data. In addition, they must provide a clear, understandable, and accessible privacy policy explaining what data is collected, for what purposes and on what grounds it is processed, and how long it will be kept.

The GDPR also requires companies to obtain explicit consent from their users for the processing of their personal data. Users have the right to withdraw their consent at any time and companies must delete all data associated with that user. In addition, the GDPR establishes the rights of users to access, modify and delete their personal data. Companies must also ensure the security of personal data and notify breaches within 72 hours of discovery.

Parties of the GDPR

Within data protection in the context of the GDPR, two parties can be distinguished: controlling and processing. The controlling party is the organizations that collect and process user data, while the processing party includes IT companies that provide the technical resources and infrastructure to process this data.

The GDPR affects all parties dealing with the personal data of EU citizens, regardless of location. Therefore this law also affects online businesses and platforms that accept international clients or members.

Since the introduction of the GDPR, controlling parties are required to process the EU user’s data with complete clarity. Once the purpose is achieved and there is no legitimate need for the data for a particular user, it must be deleted so that personal data is not stored endlessly on servers that can be hacked at any time.

Personal data under the GDPR

The concept of personal data in the European Union has received a broader definition because of the enactment of the GDPR. Now the information about the PC and the user's location, such as IP address, is considered personal data. Financial, psychological, or ethnic history, as well as any information that can be used to identify a person, is also included in this category. Notable that anonymous data or pseudonyms, if they can be easily correlated with a specific person, then such information is considered personal. In addition, any information already under the Data Protection Act will also be categorized as personal data under the GDPR.

According to the GDPR, people have the right to access their personal data held by the controller. Controllers must respond to user requests within 30 days. Involved parties must maintain a policy of clarity regarding how data is collected, used, and processed. The language of the documents explaining these processes should be simple and understandable.

GDPR and business

Changes to data processing rules came into effect in the European Union on May 25, 2018. Many companies had to rethink how they collect, use, and store information about their customers and users.

Updating systems process to comply with GDPR can be difficult for some companies. Often there may not be enough infrastructure to meet all requirements. In this case, it is best to contact a consulting firm or a security company to assist in the full system compliance process.

The main consequence organizations of non-compliance with the rules are huge fines. Responsible for a data breach can be an external hacker, an insider, or an unidentified source - this does not matter under the GDPR, which places the responsibility entirely on the organization itself.

Business Benefits of GDPR Compliance

• Reducing the risk of data protection violations and associated fines.
• Increased data security and prevention of cyber-attacks.
• Improved reputation. Companies demonstrate their responsibility and concern for data privacy, which can positively affect their reputation and attract more customers.
• Facilitate international trade relations. It is easier to do business with other companies that follow the same rules, which reduces the risk of violating international regulations about personal data protection.

ISO 27001 standard

ISO 27001 certification is the process of verifying that a company meets the requirements of the international standard for information security management. The purpose of certification is to confirm the effectiveness of the information security system and minimize the risk of data loss.

To obtain certification, a company must undergo an audit process that includes verification of the company's compliance with ISO 27001 requirements. An independent third party - the certification body, carries out the audit.

ISO 27001 certification can help a company improve its information security, increase customer and stakeholder trust, and prove compliance with a range of regulations, including the GDPR.

Can ISO 27001-certification guarantee GDPR compliance?

Although ISO 27001 does not cover some of the areas regulated by the GDPR, such as the right of a data subject to move or delete their personal data, this standard does cover most of the requirements of the GDPR, because personal data is recognized as an information security asset under the ISO 27001 standard. ISO 27001 certification cannot guarantee full GDPR compliance, but it is a crucial step forward in that direction.

Any company dealing with EU residents must be GDPR compliant. To achieve full GDPR compliance, ISO 27001-certified companies must analyze the difference with the GDPR to identify additional requirements and incorporate them into their information security management system. For these organizations, achieving GDPR compliance will be easier, as with the implementation of the ISO 27001 standard, the company has already taken a significant step towards maximum compliance.

In conclusion

The GDPR has a significant impact on companies around the world, especially those who interact with EU citizens. All companies that collect, process, or store the personal data of EU citizens must comply with the GDPR rules. Otherwise, they will be subject to fines of up to 20 million euros or 4% of the company's global turnover, which can seriously affect the financial condition of the business. Therefore, organizations around the world working with the EU must ensure that they have appropriate security policies, processes, and procedures in place to protect personal data.

It is important to note that ISO 27001 certification brings significant benefits: risk reduction, improved security, and reputation. In addition, GDPR compliance can help companies better protect the privacy of their customer's data, which is critical to customer trust and a company's competitiveness in the marketplace.

In general, GDPR compliance and ISO 27001 certification should be top priorities for companies that want to effectively manage information security and protect their customers' personal data.

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