Standards Comparison

    LGPD

    Mandatory
    2020

    Brazil's comprehensive regulation for personal data protection

    VS

    COBIT

    Voluntary
    2019

    Global framework for enterprise IT governance and management

    Quick Verdict

    LGPD mandates personal data protection for Brazilian residents with fines up to 2% revenue, while COBIT provides voluntary IT governance framework for enterprise alignment. Companies adopt LGPD for legal compliance, COBIT for strategic IT value and risk management.

    Data Privacy

    LGPD

    Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados Pessoais (Law No. 13.709/2018)

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    12-18 months

    Key Features

    • Extraterritorial scope targeting Brazilian residents worldwide
    • 10 core principles including prevention and non-discrimination
    • Fines up to 2% Brazilian revenue capped at R$50M
    • Mandatory DPO appointment for controllers with public disclosure
    • 3 business-day breach notifications to ANPD and subjects
    IT Governance

    COBIT

    COBIT 2019 Governance and Management Objectives

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    12-18 months

    Key Features

    • 40 objectives across 5 domains (EDM, APO, BAI, DSS, MEA)
    • 11 design factors for tailoring governance systems
    • CMMI-based capability levels 0-5 for performance management
    • Goals cascade linking stakeholders to IT metrics
    • 7 components covering processes, culture, and skills

    Detailed Analysis

    A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

    LGPD Details

    What It Is

    Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados Pessoais (LGPD), Law No. 13.709/2018, is Brazil's comprehensive data protection regulation. Enacted in 2018 and fully enforced since 2021, it safeguards personal data of natural persons with extraterritorial scope, applying to any processing targeting Brazilian residents. It follows a risk-based approach with 10 core principles like purpose limitation, necessity, and accountability.

    Key Components

    • 10 principles (e.g., transparency, security, non-discrimination)
    • Data subject rights (access, deletion, portability, objection to automated decisions)
    • Legal bases for processing (consent, contracts, legitimate interests)
    • Governance via mandatory DPO for controllers, records of processing, DPIAs for high-risk activities
    • ANPD enforcement with graduated sanctions up to 2% Brazilian revenue (R$50M cap)

    Why Organizations Use It

    LGPD compliance avoids multimillion fines, operational halts, and reputational damage while building trust in Brazil's digital economy. It enables market access, efficient data use, and competitive edges via privacy-by-design, especially for multinationals in e-commerce, finance, healthcare.

    Implementation Overview

    Phased risk-based methodology: governance setup, data mapping, policies, technical controls, DSR automation, vendor management, ongoing audits. Applies to all sizes/industries processing Brazilian data; no certification but ANPD audits/sanctions enforce.

    COBIT Details

    What It Is

    COBIT 2019 (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies), developed by ISACA, is a flexible governance framework for enterprise IT (EGIT). It translates stakeholder needs into actionable objectives to create IT value, manage risk, and optimize resources via a tailored, design-factor-driven approach.

    Key Components

    • 40 objectives across **5 domainsEDM (governance), APO (plan/organize), BAI (build/implement), DSS (deliver/support), MEA (monitor/assess)
    • 6 governance principles and 7 components (processes, structures, culture, skills, etc.)
    • CMMI-based performance management (capability levels 0-5)
    • Goals cascade; no certification, but assessments and ISACA credentials

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Aligns IT strategy with business goals
    • Enhances compliance (SOX, GDPR), audit readiness, risk management
    • Drives digital transformation, efficiency, stakeholder trust

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased: assess maturity, design via 11 factors, pilot objectives, monitor/improve
    • Cross-industry, all sizes; requires training, RACI, metrics; voluntary audits

    Key Differences

    Scope

    LGPD
    Personal data protection/processing
    COBIT
    Enterprise IT governance/management

    Industry

    LGPD
    All sectors, Brazil-focused
    COBIT
    All industries, global applicability

    Nature

    LGPD
    Mandatory regulation, ANPD enforcement
    COBIT
    Voluntary governance framework

    Testing

    LGPD
    DPIAs for high-risk, ANPD audits
    COBIT
    Capability assessments, internal audits

    Penalties

    LGPD
    2% revenue fines (R$50M cap)
    COBIT
    No legal penalties, certification loss

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about LGPD and COBIT

    LGPD FAQ

    COBIT FAQ

    You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

    Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM

    Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform

    Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.

    100+ Standards & Regulations
    AI-Powered Insights
    Collaborative Assessments
    Actionable Recommendations

    Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages