GDPR compliance requires continuous monitoring of data processors

Under GDPR regulations, companies are responsible for ensuring that external service providers, known as data processors, adhere to data protection obligations. Article 28 of the GDPR requires not only an initial assessment of these providers but also continuous monitoring throughout the contractual relationship. Failure to adequately supervise these partners can lead to significant legal and financial consequences.

Recent enforcement actions highlight these risks. Vodafone faced a 350,000 euro fine in Greece due to insufficient oversight of a data processor. In Germany, a company was fined 15 million euros for inadequate monitoring of partner agencies.

Beyond regulatory compliance, managing data access remains a major governance challenge. As companies accumulate vast amounts of unstructured data, such as emails and documents, identifying sensitive information and controlling access becomes increasingly difficult. While Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) tools help identify risks, they often lack the ability to directly remediate vulnerabilities, particularly in complex environments where access permissions become outdated or overly broad.