Data is a valuable business asset and to protect it, you must follow specific rules about how and where it can be stored.
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Data is a valuable business asset and to protect it, you must follow specific rules about how and where it can be stored.
Businesses are collecting data all the time as it becomes easier to gather, store, analyse and use to drive business operations and results. But with this comes a great deal of responsibility and legal obligation to make sure that data is managed correctly. One key aspect is where you store your data, even when it’s on the cloud. We look at some of the issues.
The ability to collect, store and analyse data is integral to business success. Without it, they are in the dark about their customers, their direction of travel and what they need to do to achieve their goals. So we collect a wide range of data about consumers, financial state, suppliers, output, etc.
Technology has been integral to our ability to collect data and it’s proving vital for storing and retrieving it. The cloud is becoming the go-to solution for data storage, with more than 60% of all corporate data now being stored in the cloud. It removes the limitations of physical space, is more cost-effective and makes data available from anywhere, at any time and to anyone with the required access rights.
All businesses collecting data will be aware of the obligations placed on them by the Data Protection Act over how they protect data from theft by a third party, who can then use it for illegal activities such as fraud or extortion. An important part of ensuring this protection is specifying where data is stored.
With the advent of cloud computing, where data is stored may seem less relevant as it’s perceived to be a virtual storage space, accessible from anywhere. But cloud storage makes an understanding of where your data is stored even more pertinent because data might now be stored in a physical location anywhere in the world, even if you are inputting that data from your office in the UK.
This matters because regulatory requirements and standards for processing and storing data around the world differ, each offering different levels of protection.
The UK has very specific requirements about how data is managed, defined by GDPR, and business must ensure they can comply, no matter where their data is stored.
GDPR states that if data is going outside the UK, extra steps need to be taken to protect it and ensure it still meets GDPR requirements.
Some countries will have good data protection rules and put what’s known as an “adequacy decision” in place, meaning that if data is being transferred and stored there, businesses don’t need to take extra measures.
If there’s no adequacy decision in place, it’s likely that a contract known as a standard contractual clause (SCC) needs to be put in place. This should detail specific requirements to ensure data is being used correctly when outside the UK and that it’s still expected to be managed to the same standards.
All businesses need to know where data is being stored in order to understand the data protection laws it comes under, and then put in place a contract to address any shortfalls in standards which mean it doesn’t align with GDPR requirements. The Information Commissioners Office provide an example:
“Jenna is a UK physiotherapist who uses an online app to store her patients’ personal data. This platform uploads the data to a server based in Brazil. As Jenna is sending the data outside of the UK, she needs to make sure it will be protected. There is no adequacy decision to say that Brazil’s rules provide enough protection for the data, so Jenna will probably need to speak with the other organisation and put SCCs in place.”
Because of the requirements of GDPR, choosing the right cloud service providers becomes more than just a question of assessing fees and storage capabilities. Businesses need to make sure their cloud services provider has up-to-date privacy policies in place and a clear statement committed to GDPR regulatory requirements.
If they can’t demonstrate an understanding of the standards that need to be adhered to when they manage your data, they may not be the right provider for your business.
If you are concerned about your data storage and management not meeting GDPR requirements, our team at Syn-Star can support by putting in place the right resources, policies and practices. Only then can you be confident that your data is managed correctly and stored securely.
Syn-Star offers a range of IT services, including IT support, IT strategy, telecoms and IT consultancy, for our customers. If you would like to talk to us about GDPR and protecting your critical data, or discuss any other IT support your business could benefit from, then contact one of our Syn-Star team today.
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