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In today's digital landscape, businesses face increasing challenges in managing privacy, security, and data protection effectively. With the proliferation of data and the ever-evolving regulatory landscape, organizations must establish a robust stack of tools and practices that address these concerns comprehensively. 

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In this blog post, we will explore the key components of a modern privacy and security stack (privacy tools, data catalog tools, Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) tools), outline the unique use cases for each, dispel the myth about privacy tools, and highlight the importance of coexistence among these tools.

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Understanding different components

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Among other tools, a modern privacy and security stack comprise three essential components: privacy tools, data catalog tools, and DSPM (Data Security Posture Management) tools. Each tool serves a distinct purpose within an organization and is utilized by different teams.

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Privacy Tools: Privacy tools are designed and built to address privacy-specific requirements outlined in regulations like the EU’s Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or California’s Consumer Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). They enable organizations to manage data inventories, manage ROPAs (Records of Processing Activities), fulfill Data Subject Requests (DSRs), manage customer consent, conduct Data Protection Assessments (DPAs), and other key functions of a privacy program. Privacy tools empower businesses to establish privacy-specific workflows and comply with privacy regulations effectively.

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Data Catalog Tools: Data catalog tools assist with identifying and organizing data assets (such as tables, databases, object stores, etc.) and capturing technical and governance metadata about underlying data assets in the data ecosystem. Data catalog tools focus on efficient data management, primarily for data at rest. These tools enable teams to categorize and catalog data, enhancing data discoverability and facilitating better data governance.

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Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) Tools: DSPM tools primarily focus on assessing and managing the security posture of an organization's data environment, which includes identifying vulnerabilities, monitoring security configurations, and detecting potential security risks. These include use cases such as identifying security vulnerabilities (encryption, etc.) in your cloud environments, managing and enforcing access policies, and alerts and investigation capabilities for incident response management. 

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Debunking Common Misconceptions about Privacy Tools

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To establish a robust privacy and security stack, it is crucial to debunk a common misconception: contrary to the belief that data catalog or DSPM tools can solve all privacy workflows - as well as the reverse - it is essential to recognize that privacy tools are not merely "nice to have." They play a pivotal role in meeting privacy requirements effectively and are a “must-have” to comply with regulations such as the GDPR and CPRA.

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Privacy tools uniquely differentiate them from data catalogs and DSPM tools. While data catalog and DSPM tools excel in specific areas, privacy tools offer features tailored to privacy regulations and requirements. Examples of these include ROPAs, DSR workflows, consent management, and other privacy-specific functionalities.

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Limitations of Data Catalog and DSPM Tools for Privacy

While data cataloging and DSPM tools have their merits, it is essential to acknowledge their limitations in privacy use cases. 

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• Data at Rest Focus: Data catalog tools primarily focus on organizing and managing data assets and data at rest. However, they often fall short of identifying privacy and security concerns upstream; where in the source code is this data being populated from? To establish a robust stack, it is imperative to gain visibility into contractual obligations, source code, and data pipelines for comprehensive privacy and security, in which Relyance AI excels.

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• Lack of Privacy-Specific Features: Data catalog and DSPM tools lack features tailored to privacy regulations and requirements. They don’t support aspects like Records of Processing Activity (ROPA) generation, Data Subject Request (DSR) workflows, Cookie and Consent management, support for Data Protection Assessments (DPIA, PIA, TIA, etc.), and other privacy-related functions. Relying solely on these tools may result in an incomplete privacy program.

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• Incomplete View of Processing: Relying solely on data catalog and DSPM tools provides an incomplete view of a robust privacy program. These tools often overlook a crucial aspect: contractual obligations. Understanding the lineage and nature of data processing, along with contractual agreements, is essential for a comprehensive privacy stack.

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Creating a Comprehensive Stack

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To overcome the limitations and create a modern privacy and security stack, it is crucial to understand that having a Data Catalog or DSPM tool won’t solve privacy challenges, and organizations need to leverage the strengths of each tool effectively. Having a stack where privacy tools, data catalog tools, and DSPM tools co-exist offers several benefits:

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1. Addressing Privacy-Specific Requirements: Privacy tools cater to privacy-specific requirements, such as data inventory, ROPAs, DSR fulfillment, Data Protection Assessments, Consent management, etc. They enable organizations to implement privacy-specific workflows and run an efficient and comprehensive privacy program.
2. Efficient Data Management: Data catalog tools provide a foundation for efficient data management, especially concerning data at rest. These tools help organize and manage underlying data assets effectively.
3. Data Security and Privacy Management: DSPM tools ensure data security and privacy management. They encompass access controls, encryption, incident response, and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) capabilities to safeguard sensitive data.
4. Collaboration and Synergy: Integrating these tools allows data engineering, privacy, and security teams to work together and leverage each other's expertise. This collaboration creates a more robust privacy, security, and data protection stack.

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The Path Forward

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Building a modern privacy and security stack requires the coexistence of privacy tools, data catalog tools, and DSPM tools. By leveraging each tool's unique features and functionalities and enabling collaboration among teams, organizations can effectively address privacy requirements, efficiently manage data, and ensure robust data security. Embracing a comprehensive stack empowers businesses to navigate the complex regulatory landscape while safeguarding customer trust and data integrity.

Why should you choose Relyance AI as a component of your privacy stack?

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Across all the tools in the market, Relyance AI has the most sophisticated and unique technology for solving privacy and security needs. The ability to scan contractual obligations and compare those with data flows within your microservices and with data in stores, warehouses, other SaaS systems, for example, provides a very comprehensive and actionable view of the entire data landscape. Furthermore, using machine learning, Relyance builds a dynamic, real-time data inventory and map requiring very little access so companies can monitor how personal data moves through their code, applications, infrastructure, and to third parties. This map is always current, providing a solid foundation for the privacy program. 

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The Relyance AI platform enables the entire organization to manage its privacy program and provide data-driven insights to keep key staff focused on the most important privacy issues to ensure compliance as policies, programs, and regulations change. 

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Want to learn more? Book a demo with us, or contact us here.

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