DailyPost 616
DATA PROTECTION OFFICER
Besides CEO, the COO and CTO would steer the IT enterprise through the rough and tumble of business. Later, CIO got added with information standing on its own feet & becoming critical to an information organisation. As information stated getting porous with ends unknown, the post of CISO, Chief Information Security Officer, cropped up. It was in response to the data insecurity environment around. While the overall data scenario not improving, the European Union decided to protect the Personally Identifiable Information, PII, of all European Union citizens, of 28 countries. GDPR is the tool. Enacted two years, it got fully enforced on 25th May, 2018. Besides, lots of other provisions, it talks of creating a critical functionary, in every enterprise called the Data Protection Officer. It is the fulcrum on which it works. It’s the connect between GDPR & the enterprise. Will he be provided the wherewithal to perform or he would become another tick in the GDPR compliance list.
”The primary role of the data protection officer (DPO) is to ensure that her organisation processes the personal data of its staff, customers, providers or any other individuals (also referred to as data subjects) in compliance with the applicable data protection rules.” Excellent knowledge of data creation, storage, usage & impact is a must. Creation of a new strategy would be at the core of its success. Is there a management buy in?
With the technical knowledge of data, it’s protection, the legalities, ownership and the capability of technical, legal delivery and ensuring citizen satisfaction, some 75,000 such professionals are needed worldwide. It’s in an age when most rudimentary IT Security professionals are difficult to get. Every algorithm, every software & every workflow needs to be tweaked. A challenge which most committed managements would find difficult to meet, the Data Protection Officer, seems to be pitched as the Lone Ranger.
DATA PROTECTION CAN BE DELIVERED ONLY BY THE CEO.
Sanjay Sahay