Data processing systems and communication systems and methods for the efficient generation of privacy risk assessments

• US 10,706,447 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2019
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OneTrust LLC
• Original Assignee: OneTrust LLC
• Inventors: Barday, Kabir A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodchild, William J.
• Application Number:
  US16/578,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20200020008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety

Abstract

Data processing computer systems, in various embodiments, are adapted for: (1) presenting a threshold privacy assessment that includes a first set of privacy-related questions for a privacy campaign; (2) receiving respective answers to the first set of questions; (3) using this initial set of answers to calculate an initial privacy risk score for the privacy campaign; (4) determining whether the privacy risk score exceeds the threshold privacy risk value; (5) in response to the privacy risk score exceeding the threshold privacy risk value, providing one or more supplemental questions to the user to facilitate the completion of a full privacy impact assessment. In some embodiments, in response to determining that the privacy risk score does not exceed the threshold privacy risk value, the systems and methods provide an indication that the particular privacy campaign is a relatively low privacy campaign.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented data processing method for conducting privacy risk assessments for a plurality of privacy campaigns, the method comprising, for each of the plurality of privacy campaigns:

performing, by one or more processors for a particular privacy campaign, a first threshold privacy impact assessment, wherein performing the first threshold privacy impact assessment comprises;

presenting, to a user, a first set of one or more questions for a first plurality of question/answer pairings that identify one or more privacy characteristics of the particular privacy campaign;

receiving, by one or more processors, at least one respective answer for the first plurality of question/answer pairings regarding the one or more privacy characteristics of the particular privacy campaign;

determining, by one or more processors, a threshold privacy risk score for the particular privacy campaign that identifies a level of risk for one or more of the one or more privacy characteristics indicated in the first plurality of question/answer pairings;

comparing, by one or more processors, the threshold privacy risk score to a threshold privacy risk value, the threshold privacy risk value indicating a pre-determined level of risk regarding the one or more privacy characteristics of the particular privacy campaign;

determining, by one or more processors, whether the threshold privacy risk score exceeds the threshold privacy risk value;

in response to determining that the threshold privacy risk score exceeds the threshold privacy risk value, performing, by one or more processors for the privacy campaign, a second threshold privacy impact assessment, wherein performing the second threshold privacy impact assessment comprises;

obtaining a copy of a software application used to collect or use sensitive user information as part of the particular privacy campaign;

automatically electronically analyzing, by one or more computer processors, the software application to determine one or more privacy-related attributes of the software application, each of the one or more privacy-related attributes indicating one or more types of personal information the software application collects or accesses;

electronically displaying to a second user, by one or more computer processors, a list of the one or more privacy-related attributes of the software application;

electronically displaying, by one or more computer processors, one or more prompts to the second user, wherein each prompt informs the second user to input information regarding one or more particular attributes of the one or more privacy-related attributes;

communicating, by one or more computer processors, the one or more privacy-related attributes to the user for use in conducting the second threshold privacy impact assessment of the software application;

presenting, by one or more processors to the user, a second set of one or more questions for a second plurality of question/answer pairings that identify one or more privacy characteristics of the particular privacy campaign,

receiving, by one or more processors, at least one respective answer for the second plurality of question/answer pairings regarding the one or more privacy characteristics of the particular privacy campaign,

determining a respective weighting factor for each of the second plurality of question/answer pairings based on one or more privacy-related factors associated with the particular privacy campaign,

determining a second privacy risk score based upon, for each of the second plurality of question/answer pairings, the respective weighting factor, and

electronically associating the second privacy risk score with the particular privacy campaign; and

in response to determining that the threshold privacy risk score does not exceed the threshold privacy risk value, storing, by one or more processors, an indication that the particular privacy campaign is a low privacy risk campaign.

2. The computer-implemented data processing method of claim 1, wherein at least one weighting factor for at least one of the second plurality of question/answer pairings is based on one or more criteria selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a nature of information collected by the particular privacy campaign;

(ii) a location at which the information collected by the particular privacy campaign is stored;

(iii) a number of users that have access to the information collected by the particular privacy campaign;

(iv) a length of time during which the information collected by the particular privacy campaign is stored;

(v) a nature of the one or more particular individuals associated with the information collected by the particular privacy campaign; and

(vi) a country of residence of the one or more particular individuals associated with the information collected by the particular privacy campaign.

3. The computer-implemented data processing method of claim 1, wherein information regarding a particular attribute of the one or more privacy-related attributes comprises an indication that the software application collects information regarding the web browsing habits of users of the software application.

4. The computer-implemented data processing method of claim 1, wherein information regarding a particular attribute of the one or more privacy-related attributes comprises a reason that the software application has the particular attribute of the one or more privacy-related attributes.

5. The computer-implemented data processing method of claim 1, wherein determining the threshold privacy risk score comprises associating a respective weighting factor with each question in the first set of one or more questions.

6. The computer-implemented data processing method of claim 1, wherein determining the threshold privacy risk score for the particular campaign comprises:

determining that a question in a particular question/answer pairing of the first plurality of question/answer pairings includes an answer, for the particular question/answer pairing, that provides a particular response; and

in response to determining that the question in the particular question/answer pairing of the first plurality of question/answer pairings includes the particular response, automatically determining that the threshold privacy risk score for the particular privacy campaign exceeds the threshold privacy risk value.

7. The computer-implemented data processing method of claim 1, wherein, in further response to determining that the threshold privacy risk score exceeds the threshold privacy risk value, the method further comprises:

providing, by the one or more processors, a notification to one or more privacy officers associated with the privacy campaign to indicate that the threshold privacy risk score exceeds the threshold privacy risk value.

8. A computer-implemented data processing method for conducting one or more privacy risk assessments for a particular privacy campaigns, the method comprising:

performing, by one or more processors for the particular privacy campaign, a first privacy impact assessment, wherein performing the first privacy impact assessment comprises;

presenting, to a user, a first set of one or more questions for a first plurality of question/answer pairings that identify one or more privacy characteristics of the particular privacy campaign;

receiving, by one or more processors, respective answers for the first plurality of question/answer pairings regarding the one or more privacy characteristics of the particular privacy campaign;

determining, by one or more processors, a first privacy risk score for the particular privacy campaign that identifies a level of risk for one or more of the privacy characteristics indicated in the question/answer pairings;

comparing, by one or more processors, the first privacy risk score to a threshold privacy risk value, the threshold privacy risk value indicating a pre-determined level of risk regarding the one or more privacy characteristics of the particular privacy campaign;

determining, by one or more processors, whether the first privacy risk score exceeds the threshold privacy risk value;

providing, by one or more processors to one or more privacy officers;

(1) a first selection option to initiate a second privacy impact assessment; and

(2) a second selection option to indicate that the particular privacy campaign is a low privacy risk campaign;

in response to receiving an indication of selection of the first selection option by the one or more privacy officers;

obtaining a copy of a software application used to collect or use sensitive user information as part of the particular privacy campaign;

automatically electronically analyzing, by one or more processors, the software application to determine one or more privacy-related attributes of the software application, each of the one or more privacy-related attributes indicating one or more types of personal information the software application collects or accesses; and

electronically displaying to the one or more privacy officers, by one or more processors, a list of the one or more privacy-related attributes of the software application; and

in further response to receiving the indication of selection of the first selection option by the one or more privacy officers, performing, by one or more processors for the privacy campaign, the second privacy impact assessment, wherein performing the second privacy impact assessment comprises;

presenting, by one or more processors to the user, a second set of one or more questions for a second plurality of question/answer pairings that identify one or more privacy characteristics of the particular privacy campaign,

receiving, by one or more processors, respective answers for the second plurality of question/answer pairings regarding the one or more privacy characteristics of the particular privacy campaign,

determining a respective weighting factor for each of the second plurality of question/answer pairings based on one or more privacy-related factors associated with the particular privacy campaign,

determining a second privacy risk score based upon, for each of the second plurality of question/answer pairings, the respective weighting factor, and

electronically associating the second privacy risk score with the particular privacy campaign; and

in response to receiving an indication of selection of the second selection option by the one or more privacy officers, storing, by one or more processors, an indication that the particular privacy campaign is a low privacy risk campaign.

9. The computer-implemented data processing method of claim 8, wherein at least one weighting factor for at least one of the second plurality of question/answer pairings is based on one or more criteria selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a nature of information collected by the particular privacy campaign;

(ii) a location at which the information collected by the particular privacy campaign is stored;

(iii) a number of users that have access to the information collected by the particular privacy campaign;

(iv) a length of time during which the information collected by the particular privacy campaign is stored;

(v) a nature of the one or more particular individuals associated with the information collected by the particular privacy campaign; and

(vi) a country of residence of the one or more particular individuals associated with the information collected by the particular privacy campaign.

10. The computer-implemented data processing method of claim 8, wherein determining the first privacy risk score comprises associating a respective weight with each question in the first set of one or more questions.

11. The computer-implemented data processing method of claim 8, wherein determining the first privacy risk score for the particular privacy campaign further comprises:

determining that a question in a particular question/answer pairing for the first plurality of question/answer pairings includes an answer, for the particular question/answer pairing, that provides a particular response; and

in response to determining that the question in the particular question/answer pairing for the first plurality of question/answer pairings includes the particular response, automatically determining that the first privacy risk score for the particular privacy campaign exceeds the threshold privacy risk value.

12. The computer-implemented data processing method of claim 8, wherein, in further response to receiving the indication of selection of the first selection option by the one or more privacy officers, the method further comprises:

electronically displaying, by one or more computer processors, one or more prompts to the one or more privacy officers, wherein each prompt informs the one or more privacy officers to input information regarding one or more particular attributes of the one or more privacy-related attributes; and

communicating, by one or more computer processors, the information regarding the one or more particular attributes of the one or more privacy-related attributes to one or more second one or privacy officers for use in conducting the second privacy impact assessment.

13. The computer-implemented data processing method of claim 12, wherein information regarding a particular attribute of the one or more particular attributes comprises an indication that the software application collects information regarding the web browsing habits of users of the software application.

14. The computer-implemented data processing method of claim 12, wherein information regarding a particular attribute of the one or more privacy-related attributes comprises a reason that the software application has the particular attribute of the one or more privacy-related attributes.