Data protection is a daunting yet vital part of a business. It is becoming more and more important for businesses to be up-to-date in their data protection compliance. Fortunately, there are tools on the market to make the process more manageable, writes Alvin Toh, Chief Marketing Officer, Straits Interactive.
High-profile cyber crimes and data breaches have been headline news around the world throughout 2022.
As firms weigh significant financial and reputational costs and disruption to business, arising from these incidents, the urgency to safeguard sensitive data, in compliance with the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) and other relevant laws, has never been greater.
Amid calls for tighter regulations and due diligence, data protection officers (DPOs), are finding it quite a challenge to report organisational accountability in a timely and productive manner as they deal with many varied aspects of compliance.
To implement and sustain a robust Data Protection Management Programme (DPMP) efficiently and effectively, battle-tested DPOs are turning to dedicated data protection software tools to help with operational compliance via useful analytics and comprehensive reporting.
Here are 5 reasons to consider implementing data protection Software-as-a-Service (SaaS):
1. Achieving operational compliance is a multi-faceted, continuous exercise
Data protection management is an ongoing activity that requires regular monitoring and improvement. It is more accurately described as a journey rather than a destination as the landscape is constantly changing.
“The key to managing an effective and robust DPMP is sustaining the initial data protection efforts of an organisation, explains Data privacy consultant Karthik Laxman (CIPM). “This means constant monitoring and auditing, and communication with internal and external stakeholders.
“A comprehensive data protection management solution makes monitoring and auditing easier,” Laxman continues, “by giving a complete picture of a company’s data protection controls on one platform. Updated to meet the requirements of the latest regulations, such a platform can provide anytime, anywhere access across multiple stakeholders, such that they are informed and competent in complying with the requirements of relevant data privacy laws.”
2. Data privacy implementation involves multiple departments
The bigger your company, the greater the value data protection software can give you. It also involves people working together. Data privacy trainer and consultant Edwin Concepcion calls it a company-wide effort. “We have seen that data protection software is valuable because data protection was never a one-man job or a one-department job,” he says. “It is a company-wide effort that requires alignment of several departments.”
Data protection management software allows DPOs to set up their own governance structure, the roles and responsibilities of employees, and the accountability for policies and processes when it comes to privacy management.
3. Spreadsheets work - but they are problematic
“I’ll just use spreadsheets”, some might say. While spreadsheets can do the job, they may also be the most unproductive, disorganised, and stressful way to complete the process.
“Spreadsheets are a problem,” Laxman states, “because when you have multiple departments, with their inventory and risk, how do you get a consolidated view to efficiently track and monitor them? Managing multiple departments, and multiple locations will require multiple spreadsheets – it is very cumbersome. It’s not that you can’t use spreadsheets. You can, but it’s time-consuming and complex, whereas when you use a tool, it gives you your reports and dashboards at the click of a button.”
4. Going through all your processes manually is very stressful
If you want to implement a robust data protection management program, one of the first steps is to establish your baseline risk. This involves mapping out your organisation’s data flow and data inventory – these are certainly not easy tasks.
“Dedicated data protection software,” Edwin Concepcion explains, “can provide a template of common risks related to personal data inventory. We also provide a list of common types of personal data. This assists you in your personal data analysis. You are then able to establish your company’s baseline risk more efficiently.”
5. Data protection software helps you demonstrate accountability and helps manage regulator queries
“When a regulator knocks on your door,” says Laxman, “the tendency is to scramble to generate evidence of operational compliance to data protection laws. With the ability to generate these reports very quickly, you show that you are in control. If you can provide reports such as your personal data inventory, business process report, and record of processing activities, you are able to demonstrate accountability to the regulator.”
While data protection compliance work can be a very daunting concept, there are a variety of tools and software that can simplify and accelerate the process. This way, you can become operationally compliant, while minimising disruption and remaining productive, more quickly and without the headache.
