Introduction

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is a data privacy law that provides California residents with enhanced privacy rights and control over their personal data. The CCPA applies to any company that does business in California and collects personal information from California residents. Compliance with the CCPA requires companies to implement certain data mapping practices. In this blog, we will discuss what companies should do for data mapping in order to be CCPA compliant.

Step 1: Understand Your Data

The first step in data mapping is to understand the data that your company collects. This means identifying what personal information is collected, why it is collected, where it is stored, and who has access to it. Personal information includes any information that can be used to identify an individual, such as name, address, email address, Social Security number, and IP address.

Step 2: Identify Your Data Sources

Once you understand the data that your company collects, you need to identify the sources of that data. This means identifying all the systems, applications, and third-party services that collect, process, or store personal information. This can include customer relationship management (CRM) systems, marketing automation platforms, data warehouses, and cloud-based services.

Step 3: Map Your Data Flows

The next step is to map your data flows. This means identifying how personal information is collected, processed, and shared within your organization and with third-party service providers. You need to identify who has access to the data, how it is transmitted, and where it is stored.

Step 4: Create a Data Map

Once you have identified your data sources and mapped your data flows, you need to create a data map. This is a visual representation of your company's data ecosystem that shows where personal information is collected, processed, and stored, as well as how it flows between different systems and applications.

Step 5: Conduct a Gap Analysis

The final step in data mapping for CCPA compliance is to conduct a gap analysis. This means comparing your data map to the requirements of the CCPA to identify any areas where you need to make changes. For example, you may need to update your privacy policy to provide more detailed information about the personal information you collect, or you may need to implement additional security measures to protect personal information.

General Template

Here is a general outline to help you create a data mapping template that aligns with CCPA requirements:

1. Data Categories: List the categories of personal information collected, as defined by the CCPA, such as Identity related identifiers, financial details, commercial information, biometric information, etc.
2. Data Sources: Identify the sources from which the personal information is collected, e.g., directly from the consumer, through cookies, third-party data providers, etc.
3. Purpose of Collection: Document the business or commercial purpose for collecting personal information, such as providing a product or service, detecting security incidents, etc.
4. Third-Party Sharing: Identify any third parties with whom the personal information is shared, and specify the purpose for sharing.
5. Data Storage and Retention: Document the locations where the personal information is stored and outline the retention policies and schedules.
6. Data Security Measures: Detail the security measures in place to protect personal information, including technical, administrative, and physical safeguards. For technical, it could be Tokenization, Pseudonymization, Encryption at Rest, etc.
7. Data Subject Rights: Track how the organization handles requests from data subjects to access, delete, or opt-out of the sale of their personal information.
8. Data Processing Agreements: Keep a record of any data processing agreements in place with third-party service providers and ensure they meet CCPA requirements.

Let's say you are using AWS in your business. In addition to AWS, there will be hundreds of SaaS apps and systems you would be using. From Data Mapping perspective, this is how AWS will be mapped out:

Conclusion

Complying with the CCPA requires companies to implement robust data mapping practices. By understanding your data, identifying your data sources, mapping your data flows, creating a data map, and conducting a gap analysis, you can ensure that your company is CCPA compliant and that you are protecting the privacy rights of your customers. Remember that compliance with data privacy laws is an ongoing process, and you should regularly review and update your data mapping practices to ensure that you are meeting all legal requirements.

How can Strac help with Data Mapping?

Strac is a data privacy and compliance company that provides a range of services to help businesses comply with various data privacy regulations, including the CCPA.

Strac's services include data discovery and mapping, which involves identifying and mapping the personal data that a company collects, processes, and stores. Strac can help businesses understand where their data is coming from, where it is stored, who has access to it, and how it is being used.

Additionally, Strac can help businesses conduct a gap analysis to identify areas where they need to make changes to comply with CCPA requirements. This can include updating privacy policies, implementing additional security measures, and ensuring that data subject requests are handled properly.

Overall, Strac can provide valuable assistance to businesses that need help with data mapping and CCPA compliance.

Book a demo to learn about Data Mapping and how Strac can protect you.