POPIA/GDPR Compliance

Overview

Data protection regulations like South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) impose strict requirements on how organizations collect, process, store, and protect personal information. Soteria Cloud's compliance solution, built on Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud and hosted in Teraco's Johannesburg and Cape Town data centers, provides the technical controls, data residency, encryption, audit trails, and documentation needed to meet POPIA and GDPR requirements while protecting your organization from regulatory penalties and reputational damage.

POPIA (South Africa)

Scope: Applies to all organizations processing personal information of South African residents
Key Requirements: Lawful processing, data minimization, purpose specification, security safeguards, data subject rights
Penalties: Up to R10 million or 10 years imprisonment for serious violations
Data Residency: While not explicitly required, keeping data in SA simplifies compliance and demonstrates commitment to protection

Scope: Applies to organizations processing personal data of EU residents, regardless of organization location
Key Requirements: Lawful basis, data minimization, purpose limitation, security measures, data subject rights, breach notification
Penalties: Up to €20 million or 4% of global annual revenue, whichever is higher
Data Residency: Restrictions on transferring personal data outside EU/EEA without adequate safeguards

Soteria Cloud's Compliance Solution

1. Data Residency & Sovereignty

South African Data Centers - All data stored in Teraco Johannesburg and Cape Town facilities
No International Transfers - Data never leaves South African infrastructure
POPIA Alignment - Local storage demonstrates commitment to protecting SA residents' personal information
GDPR Adequacy - For EU data, storage in controlled SA facilities with appropriate safeguards

2. Encryption & Security Controls

Encryption at Rest - AES-256 encryption for all stored data (backups, archives, files)
Encryption in Transit - TLS 1.3 for all data transfers
Access Controls - Role-based access control (RBAC) with least-privilege principles
Multi-Factor Authentication - MFA required for administrative access
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) - Prevent unauthorized disclosure of personal information
Endpoint Security - NGAV, EDR, and behavioral detection protect against breaches

3. Data Subject Rights

Right of Access - Search and retrieve personal information from backups and archives
Right to Erasure - Delete personal information from backups and production systems
Right to Rectification - Correct inaccurate personal information
Right to Data Portability - Export personal information in machine-readable format
Right to Object - Support for objections to processing through data deletion capabilities

4. Breach Detection & Notification

Security Monitoring - Real-time detection of security incidents and data breaches
Automated Alerts - Immediate notification of potential breaches
Forensic Investigation - EDR tools provide detailed breach analysis
Breach Documentation - Comprehensive logs and reports for regulatory notification
72-Hour Notification - Tools and processes to meet GDPR's 72-hour breach notification requirement

5. Audit Trails & Documentation

Comprehensive Logging - All access, modifications, and deletions logged with timestamps and user identification
Immutable Audit Trails - Logs cannot be altered or deleted, ensuring integrity
Compliance Reports - Pre-built reports demonstrating compliance controls
Data Processing Records - Documentation of data processing activities as required by POPIA/GDPR
Retention Policies - Configurable retention aligned with legal and business requirements

How Compliance Works

Phase 1: Data Discovery & Classification

Identify systems and data stores containing personal information
Classify data by sensitivity and regulatory requirements
Document data flows and processing activities

Phase 2: Technical Controls Implementation

Deploy Acronis agents to all systems processing personal information
Enable encryption for data at rest and in transit
Configure DLP policies to prevent unauthorized disclosure
Implement access controls and MFA
Enable security monitoring and breach detection

Phase 3: Data Residency Assurance

Configure backups to Teraco JHB and CPT data centers
Verify no data transfers to international locations
Document data residency for compliance audits

Phase 4: Process Implementation

Establish procedures for data subject rights requests
Implement breach notification workflows
Configure retention policies aligned with legal requirements
Train staff on compliance obligations

Phase 5: Ongoing Compliance

Regular compliance audits and assessments
Continuous monitoring for security incidents
Periodic review and update of policies and procedures
Annual compliance reporting for management and regulators

Compliance Use Cases

Use Case 1: Data Subject Access Request (DSAR)

Scenario: Individual requests copy of all personal information held by organization
Solution: Search backups, archives, and production systems for individual's data; export in machine-readable format
Timeline: POPIA: reasonable time; GDPR: 30 days
Outcome: Complete response provided within regulatory timeframe

Use Case 2: Right to Erasure Request

Scenario: Individual requests deletion of personal information
Solution: Delete data from production systems and backups; document deletion
Timeline: POPIA/GDPR: without undue delay
Outcome: Personal information erased; audit trail documents compliance

Use Case 3: Data Breach

Scenario: Ransomware attack encrypts systems containing personal information
Solution: EDR detects breach; forensics determine scope; recovery from backups; breach notification prepared
Timeline: GDPR: notify within 72 hours; POPIA: as soon as reasonably possible
Outcome: Breach contained; data recovered; regulators and affected individuals notified on time

Use Case 4: Compliance Audit

Scenario: Regulator or auditor requests evidence of POPIA/GDPR compliance
Solution: Provide compliance reports, audit trails, encryption documentation, data residency evidence
Outcome: Audit passes; no findings or penalties

Key Compliance Controls

Requirement	Soteria Cloud Control
Data Minimization	Backup retention policies; automated data deletion
Purpose Limitation	Access controls; audit trails of data access
Security Safeguards	Encryption, DLP, EDR, vulnerability management
Data Residency	Teraco JHB/CPT data centers; no international transfers
Breach Notification	Real-time detection; forensic investigation; documentation
Data Subject Rights	Search, export, delete capabilities for personal information
Accountability	Comprehensive audit trails; compliance reports
Data Protection by Design	Encryption by default; least-privilege access

Benefits of Soteria Cloud for Compliance

Simplified Compliance - Technical controls built into platform reduce compliance complexity
Data Sovereignty - South African data residency demonstrates commitment to POPIA
Reduced Risk - Strong security controls minimize breach risk and regulatory penalties
Audit Readiness - Comprehensive documentation and reports for audits
Cost Efficiency - Integrated compliance controls eliminate need for multiple specialized tools
Expert Guidance - Soteria Cloud's team provides compliance advice and best practices
Competitive Advantage - Compliance certification differentiates your organization

Best Practices

Conduct regular data protection impact assessments (DPIAs)
Maintain up-to-date records of processing activities
Implement privacy by design and by default
Train employees on POPIA/GDPR requirements and data handling
Establish clear procedures for data subject rights requests
Test breach notification procedures regularly
Review and update privacy policies and notices
Conduct annual compliance audits
Appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) if required
Document all compliance activities and decisions