Data is everywhere, whether you’re logging into your bank app, signing up for JAMB, shopping online, or visiting a hospital. But with convenience comes risk: what happens if that data gets into the wrong hands?

This is where global and local data protection regulations step in. Laws like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), NDPR (Nigeria Data Protection Regulation), HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), and others are designed to safeguard personal data and hold organizations accountable.

1. GDPR – Europe’s Data Privacy Standard

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a European Union law that protects individuals’ personal data. It sets strict rules for how organizations collect, process, and store data, emphasizing consent, transparency, and accountability. Non-compliance attracts heavy fines, ensuring businesses prioritize data privacy and individuals’ rights in the digital age.

Key Provisions:

• Consent (Article 7): Companies need clear, affirmative consent before using your data.
• Right to be Forgotten (Article 17): You can request deletion of your personal data.
• Data Breach Notification (Article 33): Organizations must report breaches within 72 hours.

The British Airways breach (2018) exposed the personal and financial details of about 500,000 customers due to web skimming malware (CVSS score: 9.8 – Critical). Under GDPR, BA was fined £20 million for failing to protect customer data.

2. NDPR – Nigeria’s Data Privacy Regulation

The Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) is Nigeria’s primary data protection law, issued by NITDA in 2019. It governs how personal data is collected, processed, stored, and shared. The NDPR emphasizes consent, lawful processing, privacy rights, and accountability. Non-compliance attracts sanctions, ensuring Nigerian businesses prioritize data security and safeguard citizens’ digital privacy.

Key Provisions:

• Lawful Processing (Article 2.1): Organizations must process data with consent or a valid legal basis.
• Third-party Contracts (Article 2.2): Data processors must sign binding data protection agreements.
• Data Subject Rights: Individuals can request access, correction, or deletion of their personal data.

In 2020, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) sanctioned Soko Lending Company (Soko Loans) with a fine of ₦10 million for multiple NDPR violations. The company’s loan app accessed customers’ phone contacts and, when borrowers defaulted, sent defamatory messages to those contacts, individuals who never consented to their data being processed.

Violations included:

• Non-conforming privacy notice (Articles 2.5 and 3.1(7) NDPR).
• Insufficient lawful basis for processing data (Articles 2.2 and 2.3 NDPR).
• Illegal data sharing with third parties (Article 2.2 NDPR).
• Failure to cooperate with NITDA (Article 3.1(1) NDPR Implementation Framework).
• Non-filing of mandatory NDPR audit reports (Article 4.1(7) NDPR).

Impact:

• ₦10M fine plus mandatory Data Protection Impact Assessment.
• 9-month regulatory oversight by NITDA.
• Severe reputational damage and loss of customer trust.
• Criminal liability referred to the Nigeria Police.

This case remains a landmark NDPR enforcement action and a warning to Nigerian companies about the consequences of ignoring data protection.

3. HIPAA – Protecting Health Data in the U.S.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a U.S. law that protects patients’ medical records and personal health information. It sets standards for data privacy, security, and electronic transactions in healthcare, ensuring only authorized access while safeguarding confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive health data.

Key Provisions:

• Privacy Rule: Controls access to Protected Health Information (PHI).
• Security Rule: Requires organizations to implement safeguards like encryption and access controls.
• Breach Notification Rule: Requires patient notification within 60 days of a breach.

 In 2020, Prestera Center (U.S.) had a ransomware attack where hackers accessed health records. The exploited vulnerability had a CVSS score of 8.1 – High. HIPAA required disclosure to patients and regulators.

Other Notable Regulations includes but not limited to:

1. CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act).
2. PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).
3. SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act).

From a cybersecurity lens, every unpatched system vulnerability is not just a technical risk but a regulatory risk. A missed patch with a CVSS 9.0 critical exploit could mean not only a data breach but also millions in fines under GDPR, NDPR, or HIPAA.

Conclusion

Understanding GDPR, NDPR, HIPAA, and other regulations is not just for compliance teams, it is for everyone. For businesses, compliance builds trust and avoids fines. For individuals, it’s about knowing your rights and holding organizations accountable.

So, next time you hear about a vulnerability scored 9.8 on CVSS, do not just think “technical bug.” Think:

• Which regulation does this impact?
• What’s the cost of ignoring it?

Because in cybersecurity, compliance and security go hand in hand.