This guide is provided by the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC). It provides an introduction to the risks and solutions associated with data protection in today’s information systems. The main themes of data protection are presented from the point of view of possible technical and organisational measures, such as encryption, anonymisation, authentication, etc. The guide is designed as an aid to implementing appropriate measures to ensure optimal and appropriate protection of personal data, by making the links with current regulations and standards.
The guide is primarily intended for people in charge of information systems, whether technicians or not, who are directly confronted with the problem of personal data management, in particular data protection officers or representatives of companies domiciled outside Switzerland. The guide mainly details the obligations of private data controllers, but data controllers for federal bodies can also find specific information concerning them in section “Federal bodies”.
The guide is organised into eight sections, covering data processing, rights and obligations, federal bodies, data protection, infrastructure, access and processing, the life cycle of data and finally data sharing and transmission. In each section, we outline the legal requirements and some of the points to bear in mind when designing and implementing a system. Measures are proposed for each point. They should be considered as general guidelines and then adapted to the specific characteristics of each project and each organisation. Links to Swiss and international standards are also provided for further information.
Finally, it should be noted that this is not a guide to the law. While the essential rules of the FADP are presented, this is mainly for information purposes. The purpose of this guide is not to develop, comment on or clarify these legal rules and it is therefore not intended to serve as a basis for applying or interpreting these rules.
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