Incident Management / Data Breach
Data breaches, contained and reported with confidence
Log every incident the moment it is reported, assess the risk, decide who needs to be told and keep the evidence to prove it. Built by data protection consultants who understand what a regulator will ask for.
Why data breach management matters
A breach can be a phishing email, a lost laptop or a message sent to the wrong person. Where it is likely to put people at risk, you have 72 hours from becoming aware of it to tell the ICO, and the clock does not wait for you to find the right spreadsheet.
Handled well, a breach shows your organisation is in control. Handled badly, it becomes a fine, a complaint or a headline. ProvePrivacy keeps every report, decision and deadline in one place.
STEP 1
Report
Anyone can raise an incident in minutes, with the details you need captured from the start and the 72 hour clock tracked automatically.
STEP 2
Assess
Investigate what happened, who is affected and how serious the risk is, with every step and decision recorded.
STEP 3
Notify and learn
Record whether the ICO and individuals need to be told and why, then log findings so the same breach does not happen twice.
Everything you need to manage a breach
Part of the Incident Management module, alongside data subject rights and information request management.
✓ Breach reporting
One simple route for colleagues to report an incident, so nothing sits in an inbox while the clock runs.
✓ Breach management
Assign actions, track deadlines and keep the investigation on schedule from first report to closure.
✓ Regulator reporting decisions
Record whether a breach is reportable and the reasoning behind it, so the decision stands up to scrutiny.
✓ Stakeholder management
Keep your DPO, IT, legal and communications teams, and any processors involved, working from the same record.
✓ Breach findings
Capture root causes and corrective actions, and link them to your RoPA and DPIAs to stop repeat risks.
✓ Audit trail and dashboards
Every decision is logged for the regulator, and your DPO and board can see what is open and what is overdue.
Data breach management: common questions
How long do you have to report a data breach to the ICO?
Within 72 hours of becoming aware of it, unless the breach is unlikely to result in a risk to people’s rights and freedoms. If you cannot give every detail in that time, you can provide the information in phases.
Do you have to tell the people affected?
Yes, without undue delay, when the breach is likely to result in a high risk to them. Your risk assessment and the decision you reached should be recorded either way.
Do you need to record breaches you do not report?
Yes. UK GDPR requires you to document every personal data breach, including the facts, the effects and the action taken, whether or not it is reported to the ICO. A central breach register makes that straightforward.
What counts as a personal data breach?
Any security incident that leads to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data. That includes phishing, a lost laptop and an email sent to the wrong person. Read our guide to data breach types, reporting requirements and impacts.
How does software help with data breach management?
It gives colleagues one route to report, tracks the 72 hour deadline, records the ICO decision and keeps an audit trail. See how software can help you manage data breaches.
KNOWLEDGEZONE
Learn more about data breaches
Guides and articles from our data protection consultants, whether you are preparing for your first incident or responding to one now. View all resources →
FEATURED ARTICLE
Understanding data breaches: types, reporting requirements and impacts
Start here. What counts as a personal data breach, when you must report it, who you must tell and what the consequences can be for your organisation.
ARTICLE
How software can quickly and efficiently help you manage data breaches
Why spreadsheets and inboxes struggle under a 72 hour deadline, and what good tooling changes.
HELP CENTRE
Personal data breach: quick definition and next steps
A short answer on what counts as a personal data breach and what to do first.
ARTICLE
ASOS data breach: hack partly confirmed, what came before
What a high-profile breach teaches every organisation about response, disclosure and past warning signs.
ARTICLE
Data protection root cause analysis: stop repeat risks with RoPA findings and DPIAs
Turn each incident into lasting improvement by tracing it back to its cause.
ARTICLE
Understanding access controls in relation to data protection compliance
How limiting who can see what reduces the likelihood and the impact of a breach.
ARTICLE
Information asset management: why it is critical for data protection compliance
You cannot assess a breach quickly if you do not know what data you hold and where.
More quick answers: Browse all help topics
INCLUDED FOR EVERY CLIENT
Fix the cause, not just the incident
Closing a breach is not the end of it. Record the findings, link them to your RoPA and DPIAs, and track the actions that stop the same thing happening again.
Build confidence across your team
Most breaches begin with a person, and the first hour matters. Pair the platform with training and expert support so everyone knows what to report and how quickly.
E-learning
Short courses and tutorial videos, so every colleague can spot a breach and report it straight away, with CPD records for completed training.
Data Champion course
Equip the colleagues in each team who are first on the scene with the confidence to escalate and support an investigation.
DPO consultancy
Dealing with a serious or reportable breach? Our consultants can review your assessment and notification before it goes out.
Explore more of Incident Management
What our clients say
Protect your personal data today
See how ProvePrivacy takes the pain out of data breach management, from the first report to the final finding.