Data Protection Act 2018

UK law defining rules for processing personal data and IT controls.

The Data Protection Act 2018 is the UK statute that sets rules for processing personal data and complements the UK data protection framework.

It places obligations on organisations to justify processing, record activities, apply appropriate technical and organisational security, support subject rights and manage breaches, which creates operational requirements for IT teams.

Data Protection Act 2018: access and security controls

Controls for access, privileged accounts, authentication and authorisation to prevent unauthorised access and support lawful processing of personal data under the Act.

Data Protection Act 2018 — Audit evidence and records

Collect and retain logs, records and reports that show lawful processing, data subject actions and control activities to support audits under Data Protection Act 2018.

Handling personal data under the Data Protection Act 2018

Classification, transfer, retention and controlled handling of personal data to align technical controls with Data Protection Act 2018 requirements.

Governance under the Data Protection Act 2018

Establishes accountability, record-keeping and policy duties for processing personal data to support oversight and compliance.

Where Data Protection Act 2018 fits

The Act applies across systems that store or process personal data: HR, CRM, cloud services, backups, logs and the data flows between them. Controls such as access management, encryption, retention and deletion need attention where personal data is involved.

Consider the Act when selecting and configuring software, setting access controls and designing backups. Armstrong can assist with product configuration and control improvements, but legal compliance and breach handling remain the organisation's responsibility.

Discuss your Data Protection Act 2018 approach