The Gdpr compliance has the most rigorous privacy policies and security laws. It’s origin is in the EU. However, every cloud-hosted company has to comply with it to conduct business with EU citizens. 

91 percent of companies surveyed globally by Thomson Reuters say they are aware of the GDPR but 66 percent say that Gdpr Compliance is difficult. A GDPR compliance gap assessment tool enables companies to demonstrate to their country’s supervisory authority that they have taken technical and organizational measures to fulfill GDPR obligations.

GDPR certification allows individuals or entities to obtain certification from approved accreditation bodies to demonstrate to the EU and customers that their data is protected. Article 42 specifies that GDPR compliance certification can be obtained from either competent supervisory authorities, accreditation certification bodies, or eventually, the EDPB—which will offer a “common certification.”

What is GDPR gap assessment?

GDPR gap assessment is a process of evaluating how well your organization complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which is a European Union law that protects the privacy and rights of individuals in relation to their personal data. A GDPR gap assessment can help you identify and prioritize the areas where you need to take action to ensure compliance with the GDPR. 

Some of the benefits of conducting a GDPR gap assessment are:

1. You can avoid or reduce the risk of fines and penalties for non-compliance, which can be up to 4% of your annual global turnover or €20 million, whichever is higher.
2. You can enhance your reputation and trust with your customers, partners, and regulators by demonstrating your commitment to data protection and privacy.
3. You can improve your data governance and security practices by adopting the principles and best practices of the GDPR, such as data minimisation, purpose limitation, accuracy, accountability, and transparency.

There are different ways to conduct a GDPR gap assessment, depending on your organization’s size, complexity, and resources. 

Some of the options to conduct a GDPR gap assessment are:

The DIY approach

You can use a questionnaire-driven tool or a template to assess your own compliance status and identify the gaps. This option requires a good knowledge of the GDPR requirements and how to implement them in your organization.

The consultant-led approach

You can hire a data protection consultant or a consultancy firm to perform an on-site assessment of your data protection practices and provide you with a detailed report and recommendations. This option can provide you with more objective and expert guidance, but it can also be more costly and time-consuming.

The software approach

You can use a software solution that automates the gap assessment process and provides you with an online dashboard and reports. This option can offer more benefits than a questionnaire-driven tool, such as data breach monitoring, third-party management, and data subject access request management.

4 best GDPR Compliance Gap Assessment Tools

Astra Security

Astra Security has a comprehensive suite of security products that includes a vulnerability scanner, a firewall, a malware scanner, and pentests. Astra Security helps organizations achieve GDPR compliance by finding and fixing security loopholes, protecting personal data from hackers, and providing security audits and reports.

We’re a vulnerability assessment and penetration testing company that is also a GDPR compliance gap assessment tool that provides round-the-clock security testing services to assess internet-facing assets as quickly and efficiently as possible to detect vulnerabilities. 

Our VAPT offerings help with: 

1. Better security coverage for web and mobile applications, cloud infrastructure, networks, and APIs.  
2. Detection and remediation of vulnerabilities and security gaps of varying criticality. 
3. Maintenance of compliance with regulatory requirements like HIPAA, SOC2, PCI-DSS, ISO 27001, and GDPR. 
4. Shifting from DevOps to DevSecOps giving due priority to security testing applications in SDLC.

Key features:

1. Automated vulnerability scanning and patching
2. Real-time firewall protection and malware removal
3. Custom security rules and policies
4. Security audits and compliance reports

Pros:

1. Easy to use and install
2. Affordable pricing plans
3. Supports multiple platforms and frameworks

Cons:

1. Limited customization options
2. No free trial available

Sprinto

Sprinto is a GDPR compliance gap assessment tool is an automation platform that helps you simplify and streamline your GDPR compliance process. The platform enables you to create policies, conduct audits, assess risks, implement controls, monitor compliance, and generate evidence for audits. It also integrates with your cloud services and applications, and provides real-time alerts and notifications. Sprinto is a user-friendly and no-code solution that offers predefined workflows and templates for GDPR compliance, as well as automated checks and remediation tasks. This compliance platform also provides interactive dashboards and reports for compliance status and performance, as well as expert support and guidance.

Key features:

1. Compliance automation platform for GDPR
2. Integration with cloud services and applications
3. Predefined workflows and templates for GDPR compliance
4. Automated checks and remediation tasks
5. Interactive dashboards and reports for compliance status and performance
6. Expert support and guidance

Pros:

1. User-friendly and no-code solution
2. Scalable and adaptable
3. Efficient and effective

Cons:

1. Relatively new product
2. Requires subscription to access all features

LogicGate

LogicGate is a no-code risk and compliance platform that helps organizations customize and automate their GDPR compliance processes. LogicGate helps organizations maintain an inventory of their data processing activities, conduct data protection impact assessments (DPIAs), track mitigation tasks, and generate reports.

Key features:

1. Drag-and-drop interface for building workflows
2. Centralized repository for data processing activities and DPIAs
3. Risk scoring and prioritization
4. Pre-built and custom reports for compliance management

Pros:

1. Flexible and configurable
2. User-friendly and intuitive
3. Integrates with other systems and tools

Cons:

1. Expensive pricing plans
2. Limited support for non-English languages

ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer

ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer is a log management and IT compliance solution that helps organizations collect, analyze, and audit log data from various sources. EventLog Analyzer helps organizations comply with GDPR by detecting breaches, monitoring user activities, auditing data changes, ensuring data integrity, and generating incident reports.

Key features:

1. Agentless log collection and analysis
2. Real-time alerts and notifications
3. Predefined report templates for GDPR compliance
4. Log forensic analysis using a powerful log search engine

Pros:

1. Supports multiple log sources and formats
2. Comprehensive and customizable reports
3. Free edition available for up to five log sources

Cons:

1. Complex installation and configuration process
2. Limited scalability and performance

How to choose a GDPR gap analysis tool?

Choosing a GDPR compliance gap assessment tool can be a challenging task, as there are many factors to consider. Here are some possible points to guide you in your decision:

1. Scope and features: You should look for a tool that covers all the relevant aspects of the GDPR, such as data protection principles, data subject rights, data breach notification, data protection impact assessment, and so on. The tool should also provide you with a clear and comprehensive gap analysis report, with recommendations for remediation and improvement.
2. Ease of use and customization:  You should choose a tool that is user-friendly and intuitive, with a simple and logical interface. The tool should also allow you to customize the questions and criteria according to your specific needs and context, such as your industry, size, location, and data processing activities.
3. Security and reliability: You should ensure that the tool is secure and reliable, with adequate measures to protect your data and privacy. The tool should also have a good reputation and track record, with positive reviews and testimonials from other users.
4. Cost and support: You should compare the prices and features of different tools, and choose the one that offers the best value for money. You should also consider the level of support and guidance that the tool provides, such as online help, tutorials, FAQs, customer service, and updates.

Conclusion

The GDPR affects not only organizations within the EU, but also those outside its borders that handle the personal data of EU citizens. Therefore, it is crucial for any organization that deals with such data to comply with the GDPR. A dedicated GDPR compliance gap assessment tool that automates compliance tasks can help you achieve GDPR compliance faster and easier.

Frequently Asked Questions