GDPR and BitLocker

The GDPR came into effect on the 25th of May 2018, where it introduced a requirement for organisations to report personal data breaches to the relevant supervisory authority, where the breach presents a risk to the affected individuals (Irish Data Protection Commissioner).

The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) (edpb.europa.eu) has guidance as to when notification is required, one such ground is where the confidentiality breach poses a risk to the data subject / persons affected

This risk can be severely mitigated against / avoided if the laptop or PC device is encrypted. The good news is that all Windows 10 devices (Professional edition) and newer come with in-built encryption software for free, however this software does need to be turned on.

How do I know if my laptop is encrypted?

On your C drive, you will see the Windows BitLocker icon if turned on, like on the images below.

Want to know more?

For more information on Cybersecurity best practice and how to increase awareness, contact us at cybersecurity@lss.ie or +353 1 8226460