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  • Tick-Tock – One year to GDPR!

    By Vincent Naughton on May 25, 2017

    Today marks one year to the day until General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force. The impending legislation will bring about widespread changes to data protection rights throughout the EU and will have a significant impact on any organisation that processes personal data. GDPR will have far-reaching effects on Irish organisations and will set the tone for the majority of conversations about cybersecurity for the rest of 2017, and indeed the beginning of 2018.

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      Today marks one year to the day until General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force. The impending legislation will bring about widespread changes to data protection rights throughout the EU and will have a significant impact on any organisation that processes personal data. GDPR will have far-reaching effects on Irish organisations and will set the tone for the majority of conversations about cybersecurity for the rest of 2017, and indeed the beginning of 2018.

      WannaCry

      GDPR will place more stringent requirements on companies to alert the authorities and their data subjects, while implementing an established crisis plan in the wake of a data compromise. The recent WannaCry ransomware attack highlighted the security vulnerabilities at the heart of Irish organisations. Under GDPR, some of the companies whose data was compromised could find themselves liable to potentially insurmountable sanctions – fines up to €20 million or 4% of global turnover. With this in mind, it is clear why it is in companies’ own interest to achieve compliance sooner rather than later.

      Ward Solutions’ Survey & Whitepaper

      So, just how far down the road are organisations with their GDPR preparations? Earlier this year, to raise awareness of GDPR and establish Irish organisations’ readiness for the legislation, Ward Solutions carried out a survey in association with TechPro magazine. The results of this research received widespread media attention, including articles in The Irish Times and on Irish Tech News. Among the results was the finding that almost three quarters of Irish and Northern Irish organisations collect data on Irish and / or European citizens, making them subject to GDPR. As well as this, the survey found that more than one-quarter of businesses don’t know what GDPR is or have yet to start making preparations to achieve compliance – despite heavy fines. The complete set of results has been compiled in a whitepaper, to be launched at our upcoming GDPR seminar on Friday 9th June in the Royal College of Physicians, Dublin 2.

      GDPR Seminar

      Ward’s seminar will take a practical approach to providing attendees with clear information about the steps that they need to take to achieve GDPR compliance. Experts from Ward Solutions and Fortinet will advise attendees on how to prioritise their information security and compliance activities to develop strategies that can identify and mitigate the risks to personal data. All attendees will also receive a copy of the whitepaper results. Attendance is free, and those interested can register now on the event page.

      Achieving GDPR compliance is a complex process, and one that many Irish organisations have underestimated. Companies should begin their path towards

      GDPR, and attending Ward’s event on June 9th is the ideal place to start that journey.
      Ward Solutions is Ireland’s leading information security provider. Contact sales@ward.ie / sales@wardinfosec.co.uk or call +353 1 6420100/ +44 28 90 730 187 to discover our range of information security solutions and discuss your unique requirements.

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