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How to develop a sensitive data leakage prevention strategy that complies with GDPR?

Created on 2025-06-26 12:15:34
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Developing a sensitive data leakage prevention (DLP) strategy that complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) involves several key steps. Here's a breakdown with examples and recommended services:

  1. Data Identification and Classification

    • Identify all sensitive data (e.g., personal data, financial information, health records) stored or processed within your systems.
    • Classify data based on sensitivity (e.g., public, internal, confidential, highly confidential).
    • Example: A healthcare provider categorizes patient records as "highly confidential" and financial data as "confidential."

  2. Data Flow Mapping

    • Map how sensitive data moves across your organization, including storage, processing, and transmission.
    • Example: A financial institution tracks customer data from online forms to databases and third-party payment processors.

  3. Access Control and Least Privilege

    • Implement role-based access control (RBAC) to ensure only authorized personnel can access sensitive data.
    • Example: A company restricts payroll data access to HR and finance teams only.

  4. Encryption and Data Protection

    • Encrypt sensitive data at rest and in transit using strong encryption protocols (e.g., AES-256, TLS).
    • Example: A cloud-based e-commerce platform encrypts customer payment details stored in databases and during API transmissions.

  5. Monitoring and Detection

    • Deploy DLP tools to monitor data access and detect anomalies or unauthorized activities.
    • Example: A DLP solution flags unusual file downloads from a database by an employee in a non-financial department.

  6. Incident Response Plan

    • Establish a clear plan to respond to data breaches, including notification requirements under GDPR (within 72 hours).
    • Example: A company detects a data leak and immediately notifies affected users and regulatory authorities.

  7. Employee Training and Awareness

    • Train employees on GDPR compliance, data handling best practices, and phishing prevention.
    • Example: A company conducts quarterly GDPR awareness workshops for all staff.

  8. Third-Party Risk Management

    • Ensure vendors and partners comply with GDPR when handling your data.
    • Example: A business requires its cloud provider to sign a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) and undergo regular audits.

Recommended Tencent Cloud Services:

  • Data Security: Use Tencent Cloud Data Security Audit to monitor and log sensitive data access.
  • Encryption: Leverage Tencent Cloud Key Management Service (KMS) for encryption key management.
  • DLP Tools: Deploy Tencent Cloud Web Application Firewall (WAF) and Host Security to detect and block data exfiltration attempts.
  • Compliance: Utilize Tencent Cloud Compliance Solutions to align with GDPR requirements.
  • Employee Training: Access Tencent Cloud Security Training resources for staff education.