Staying Compliant with GDPR in the Public Sector
Tags: gdpr, security, cybersecurity, aws
Published: 2023-05-15 12:03:39


The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation in the European Union (EU) that sets out rules for the processing of personal data. The GDPR applies to all organizations that process personal data of individuals located in the EU, regardless of the organization's location.

Public sector bodies in Ireland are subject to the GDPR. This means that they must protect personal data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, or destruction. When using cloud services, public sector bodies must take steps to ensure that their personal data is protected.

There are a number of risks to personal data when using cloud services. These risks include:

Data breaches: Cloud providers are constantly under attack from hackers. If a cloud provider is breached, personal data stored on the cloud could be compromised.
Data loss: Cloud providers can experience outages or other incidents that could result in data loss.
Data manipulation: Cloud providers have access to personal data stored on their servers. If a cloud provider is malicious or incompetent, it could manipulate or delete personal data.
Public sector bodies can reduce the risks to personal data when using cloud services by taking the following steps:

Assess the risks: Public sector bodies should assess the risks to personal data before using cloud services. This assessment should consider the type of personal data that will be stored on the cloud, the sensitivity of the data, and the potential risks to the data.
Choose a cloud provider carefully: Public sector bodies should choose a cloud provider that has strong security measures in place. The provider should also have a good track record of data protection.
Implement appropriate technical and organizational measures: Public sector bodies should implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal data in the cloud. These measures should include encryption, access controls, and auditing.
Monitor the cloud environment: Public sector bodies should monitor the cloud environment for signs of security breaches or other incidents.
Have a plan in place for responding to data breaches: Public sector bodies should have a plan in place for responding to data breaches. This plan should include steps for notifying affected individuals and mitigating the impact of the breach.
By taking these steps, public sector bodies can reduce the risks to personal data when using cloud services.

In addition to the above, public sector bodies should also consider the following when using cloud services:

Data sovereignty: Public sector bodies should ensure that personal data stored in the cloud is subject to the laws of the EU.
Transparency: Public sector bodies should be transparent with individuals about how their personal data is being used and processed in the cloud.
Accountability: Public sector bodies should be accountable for the protection of personal data in the cloud.
By taking these steps, public sector bodies can ensure that their use of cloud services is compliant with the GDPR and protects the personal data of individuals.