DPDP Act: The 15 Technical Controls Every Organization Must Implement

The DPDP Act requires organizations to take “reasonable technical and organizational measures.” But the law does not list the exact technical controls that’s the trap. Most companies think they’re compliant because they have a privacy policy.

In reality, you need 15 foundational controls to avoid penalties. Here are the mandatory baseline controls every organization must have:

1. Strong Authentication (MFA)

Every system handling personal data must require multi factor authentication.

2. Access Control & Privilege Governance

Least privilege access, no shared passwords, and role based permissions.

3. Data Encryption (In-Transit & At-Rest)

Unencrypted data = non compliance.

4. Network Segmentation

Personal data should not sit inside flat networks.

5. Vendor Risk Management

Third party apps must be evaluated and monitored.

6. Endpoint Security

Antivirus, EDR, device policies, and secure configurations.

7. Data Retention & Deletion Controls

Automated deletion schedules and documented retention rules.

8. Backup Security

Encrypted, access controlled backups with restoration testing.

9. Logging & Monitoring

Track and record access to sensitive data.

10. Vulnerability Management

Regular scanning and timely patching.

11. Incident Response Plan

Organizations must know what to do within the first hour of a breach.

12. Secure Development Processes

Code reviews, dependency checks, and secure API practices.

13. Consent Management

Verifiable consent collection and revocation tracking.

14. Data Minimization

Limit collection to what is necessary enforced technically.

15. Periodic Security Assessments

Annual or bi annual technical audits to verify compliance.

⚠️ Important

These controls are required, but knowing them does not mean an organization can configure them correctly. Every company’s environment is different and the DPDP Act expects proof of implementation, not just documentation.

This is where your assessments, configuration reviews, and technical roadmap come in.