The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a new regulatory legislation which will come into force across all EU member states on May 25th, 2018. It aims to bring data protection legislation into line to reflect the new and unforeseen ways in which data is now being used.

The legislation focuses on giving individuals more control over how their personal data is processed and will also introduce harsher fines for non-compliance and data breaches. It applies to all businesses established within the EU which process personal data and also applies to any non-EU business that handles data related to EU citizens.

As industry experts of cybersecurity and data protection, Spector will work with your business to ensure that you are ready for the introduction of the new legislation.

What counts as personal data?

Under the GDPR, the definition of personal and sensitive data has now expanded to include:

• An individual’s name
• Location data
• Online identifiers such as IP addresses and cookies and;
• An individual’s genetic and biometric data

Preparing for the implementation of the GDPR

Your business will be required to adhere to the following GDPR data protection principles:

DPO

Businesses that regularly monitor individual’s personal data on a large scale must appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) and a Data Protection Controller. The DPO must be an expert in data protection law and privacy.

Privacy by Design

Businesses must ensure that the privacy concerns of individuals are kept at the centre of all decision making. Spector IT offers strategic consultancy services which will ensure that your business is making the right data protection decisions.

Consent

Consent must be freely given, specific, informed and clear. All individuals must be made aware of their data being handled and their right to withdraw their consent.

Security

If a data breach occurs, businesses are required to follow a mandatory procedure and notify their local data protection authority within 72 hours. Spector IT offers the highest level of security and business protection services to our clients to prevent unwanted data breaches.

“One stop shop”
This concept requires businesses to adopt a consistency mechanism that will ensure a uniform application of the GDPR across the EU.

Penalties

Businesses in breach of the GDPR will be forced to face considerable fines.

We offer a range of multi-layer data protection solutions to meet your business’s data needs from endpoint protection to compliance requirements. If you have any questions surrounding how to prepare your business for the upcoming GDPR, call us today and we will outline the most appropriate strategy to take to ensure your business is compliant.