When a controller engages a processor, the GDPR requires that the parties enter into a specific contract that contains certain mandatory provisions. This contract is often referred to as a ‘data processing agreement’ or ‘DPA’. To facilitate compliance with this requirement, the GDPR has provided the European Commission with the power to issue standard contractual […]
Board Governance & Cyber Risk Management
New Law Requires HHS to Consider Recognized Security Practices as Mitigating Factor When Determining Penalties
On January 5, 2021, the president signed into law H.R. 7898, an Act that amends the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to consider specific recognized security practices of covered entities and business associates when making certain determinations regarding fines, penalties, […]
Financial Regulatory Agencies Announce Proposed Rule Requiring Notice of Computer Security Incidents
On December 18, 2020, federal financial regulatory agencies jointly announced a proposed rule that would impose new and expanded reporting requirements on supervised banking organizations that experience a “computer-security incident,” requiring notice within 36 hours of any computer-security incident that rises to the level of a “notification incident.” In a significant departure from current reporting […]
Brexit Trade Agreement Provides a Temporary Solution for Companies Transferring Personal Data from the EEA to the UK
On December 24, 2020, the EU and the UK reached an agreement on the terms of their future cooperation following the end of the Brexit Transition Period (i.e., following 31 December 2020). The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (the ‘Agreement’) contains a temporary solution for companies transferring personal data from the EEA to the UK, […]
SolarWinds Hack: Unparalleled Supply Chain Attack Results in Potential Compromise of Private and Public Sector Organizations
On Sunday, December 13, 2020, SolarWinds announced that it had learned of a “highly sophisticated, manual supply chain attack” by a nation state affecting its Orion Platform, which is used by a wide variety of public and private sector organizations for IT infrastructure monitoring and management. In this attack, adversaries were able to compromise the […]