Preparing for General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
On May 25, 2018, cyber-security will become a new concern for network managers and IT specialists around the globe. Protecting organizational data and corporate information will soon be subject to a very strict new set of regulations focused on the personal and confidential information held on servers worldwide.
In addition to a variety of loosely-construed statutory regulations that already exist in the United States, the European Union passed the General Data Protection Regulation two years ago. The law becomes enforceable this May, and will apply to companies and organizations in the United States. As legal requirements for data protection become increasingly strict, attention to cyber-security is a top priority for every business.
Practically any functioning business in the modern era relies on global networking. The collection of personal or confidential information may be as innocuous as an email address, or as detailed as corporate secrets and vital statistics of shareholders. In either case, protecting the accumulated data from threats often demands the assistance of IT and data management professionals that are ready to deploy the most advanced security measures.
The GDPR has the Potential to Effect Everyone
The language of the GDPR triggers legal obligations for every business and organization in the world. Because it does not matter where a data collector is based, but whose data is being collected, businesses from New York to New Delhi will have to comply with the law. In terms of cyber-security, the GDPR mandates the protection of every E.U. citizen’s collected data.
If a company in the United States collects an E.U. customer’s email, address, and credit card number as part of a business transaction, it must comply with the GDPR. Suddenly, cyber security measures are critical concerns in thousands of incidences where they may not have been earlier.
U.S. Laws Playing Catch Up
In the United States, privacy laws are far from the uniformity and enforceability of the GDPR. As the GDPR is set to become an enforceable standard for a global economy, data protection efforts in the U.S. remain scattered.
Individual federal and state regulations contribute to a general safety net of data security. Laws like the United States Privacy Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act address individual data concerns related to various industries. Yet, no one law provides the comprehensive cyber-security protection encompassed by the European GDPR.
IT Professionals Racing to Comply
With a new focus on data protection and cyber-security spurred by the GDPR, data management and IT professionals across the United States are working to ensure compliance. By reviewing individual corporate best practices and implementing heightened security standards, companies and organizations are working to improve data protection and reduce the risk of loss.
At Titanium Cobra Solutions we know that complying with the law is just one component of cyber-security measures. Just as important as legal obligations is a dedication to customer service and satisfaction. While companies strive to comply with the GDPR, our experts know that success is not built on laws, but on reputation.
