PDPA
Southeast Asia's personal data protection regulations
HITRUST CSF
Certifiable framework harmonizing 60+ security standards
Quick Verdict
PDPA mandates privacy compliance across Asian jurisdictions with fines and breach rules, while HITRUST CSF offers voluntary certification harmonizing 60+ security standards. Organizations adopt PDPA for legal necessity; HITRUST for trusted assurance and market access.
PDPA
Personal Data Protection Act 2012
Key Features
- Mandatory Data Protection Officer appointment
- Principles-based data processing obligations
- Deemed consent and notification mechanisms
- 72-hour data breach notification regime
- Cross-border transfer limitation safeguards
HITRUST CSF
HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF)
Key Features
- Harmonizes 60+ frameworks for assess once, report many
- Risk-based tailoring using organizational/system factors
- Five-level maturity model from policy to managed
- e1/i1/r2 tiered certification paths
- MyCSF platform enables inheritance and automation
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
PDPA Details
What It Is
PDPA (Personal Data Protection Act) refers to a family of statutes, prominently Singapore's 2012 Act, Thailand's 2019 Act, and others in Taiwan/Malaysia. These are principles-based regulations governing collection, use, disclosure of personal data by organizations. Primary purpose: balance individual privacy rights with legitimate business needs via scope on personal data, controllers/processors, and extraterritorial reach in some regimes. Approach: risk-proportionate, emphasizing reasonableness in security and processing.
Key Components
- Core obligations: consent/notification, purpose limitation, access/correction, accuracy, protection, retention, transfer limits, accountability.
- Mandatory DPO in Singapore/Thailand thresholds; breach notification (72 hours in Thailand/Singapore).
- Built on GDPR-like principles but with local deltas (deemed consent, DNC registry).
- Compliance via DPMP, no universal certification but PDPC guidance/enforcement.
Why Organizations Use It
Legal mandate in jurisdictions; fines up to SGD1M/THB5M. Reduces breach risks, builds trust, enables cross-border ops. Strategic: GDPR-aligned baseline for regional harmony, competitive trust in BFSI/healthcare.
Implementation Overview
Phased: governance/DPO, data mapping/DPIAs, policies/contracts, technical controls/training, breach readiness. Applies to all orgs processing local data; audits via regulators. 12-18 months typical for mid-size.
HITRUST CSF Details
What It Is
HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF) is a certifiable, threat-adaptive control framework that harmonizes requirements from 60+ standards like ISO 27001, NIST 800-53, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and GDPR. It employs a risk-based, maturity-driven approach for security and privacy assurance.
Key Components
- 19 assessment domains and hierarchical structure (14 categories, 49 objectives, ~156 specifications).
- Five-level maturity model: Policy, Procedure, Implemented, Measured, Managed.
- Risk factors for tailoring; e1/i1/r2 certification paths.
- MyCSF platform for scoping, assessment, inheritance.
Why Organizations Use It
- Consolidates compliance (assess once, report many).
- Provides credible third-party assurance for healthcare, finance.
- Reduces breach risk (99.4% breach-free certified environments).
- Enhances market access, insurance, TPRM.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: scoping, readiness, remediation, validated assessment.
- Involves policies, evidence, assessor validation.
- Suited for regulated industries; multi-quarter effort for certification.
Key Differences
| Aspect | PDPA | HITRUST CSF |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Personal data protection in Asia | Comprehensive security/privacy controls |
| Industry | All sectors in Singapore/Thailand/Taiwan | Healthcare, finance, regulated industries |
| Nature | Mandatory national privacy laws | Voluntary certifiable framework |
| Testing | No formal certification; self-compliance | Validated assessments by external assessors |
| Penalties | Fines up to SGD1M/THB5M, criminal sanctions | No legal penalties, loss of certification |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about PDPA and HITRUST CSF
PDPA FAQ
HITRUST CSF FAQ
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