The frequency of a data protection audit depends on various factors, including the size of the company, the type and amount of data processed and the risk associated with the data processing. Companies should regularly carry out a risk assessment of their data processing processes and decide how often an audit is necessary based on this assessment.
- Risk assessment: Companies should regularly carry out a risk assessment of their data processing processes (Article 35 GDPR). Based on this assessment, a decision can be made as to how often an audit is necessary. High-risk processes require more frequent audits than low-risk processes.
- Legal requirements: In some industries or for certain types of data processing, there may be legal requirements that require regular auditing. Companies should ensure that they comply with these requirements.
In addition, it may be useful to conduct an audit after significant changes in data processing procedures or after incidents affecting data security. Regular audits help to continuously improve data processing processes and ensure that data protection measures are up to date.
- Changes in data processing procedures: In the event of significant changes in data processing processes, such as the introduction of new technologies or procedures, an audit should be carried out to ensure that the new processes comply with data protection requirements (Article 32 GDPR).
- After incidents: After data breaches or other incidents affecting data security, an audit is required to identify the causes and take measures to prevent future incidents (Articles 33 and 34 GDPR).
