How to prepare for the EU's general data protection regulation.

• Position: PRIVACY

The European Union's (EU's) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provides specific guidelines for how to classify, secure, and manage EU individuals' private data. They affect companies operating there, as well as any organization that does business there or that collects data on EU citizens.

The GDPR aims to give individuals more control over their personal information by clarifying the law relating to the clear and affirmative consent to data processing, how and where data can be stored, and individuals' right to be forgotten, according to Legaltech News.

GDPR mandates that organizations must proactively classify data and have tools in place to take action on this information, including applying governance policies, detecting and responding to data breaches, and optimizing backup and recovery. According to the new rules, organizations must understand their data and where it resides, as well as protect it in use, in transit, and in storage.

Organizations have a May 2018 deadline to comply with the GDPR or face significant fines, sanctions, and lawsuits.

Joe Garber, vice president of marketing at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, recently provided Legaltech News with the following tips to help organizations prepare for the GDPR:

Understand your data. If your organization is subject to GDPR, first assess your data:

* What and where is the information that falls under GDPR regulations?

* How do I identify information in accordance with "right to be forgotten?"

* How do I apply and enforce policies to manage information in use, in transit, and at rest?

* How can I quickly and cost-effectively respond to investigations or legal matters requiring information under management?

* How can I mitigate the risk of a data breach? What is my plan of action if one...