General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Compliance with GDPR requires a holistic approach to data protection and security. Security software engineers should collaborate with legal and compliance experts to ensure that software systems align with GDPR requirements, as non-compliance can result in significant fines and reputational damage.

Scope of GDPR

Understand that GDPR applies to organizations, including software providers, that process personal data of individuals within the EU, regardless of where the organization is based.

Personal data is defined as any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. This includes:

• Online identifiers

• IP addresses

• Cookies

It also includes indirect information, including physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural, or social identities that can be traced to one person.

Obligations

GDPR mandates that individuals have the right to access clear and comprehensible information regarding the processing of their data. When organizations collect data from individuals, they are obligated to transparently convey key details, including:

• The identity and contact information of the requesting entity

• The purpose and usage of the data

• The retention period

• Potential international transfers

• The individual's rights such as access, rectification, erasure (right to be forgotten), withdrawal of consent, and the ability to file complaints.