How to configure GDPR controls that hold up in audits. GDPR compliance can't be achieved through configurations alone. It requires repeatable practices that withstand audit scrutiny. In this video, we discuss how to translate GDPR controls into tangible configurations that support compliance and provide evidence for audits through documentation and continuous monitoring. Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne's IT Video Hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this. Map responsibilities to GDPR controls. Start by creating an inventory of workflows that include personal data, such as HR records, client contacts, and device logs. For each activity, identify the applicable compliance obligation and define at least one control for each core pillar: confidentiality, integrity, availability, and accountability. Document control ownership, verification procedures, and evidence to show not only which controls are in place, but also how you validate them. Enforce endpoint privacy and access configurations. Every endpoint that touches personal data can introduce security and privacy risks. Set policies to allow or deny OS and app access to account information by default, manage access through groups rather than individual users, and enable controlled folder access for sensitive directories such as payroll or HR folders. Implement secure configurations, local firewalls, attack surface reduction rules, and credential protection policies. Enforce full disk encryption on all laptops and workstations that handle personal data. Govern Microsoft 365 data. Configure Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention to secure personal data types such as IDs and contact details, and route alerts to a dedicated triage queue. Apply retention labels that align with the purpose of each processing workflow in line with GDPR's storage limitation principle. Schedule regular scans of high-value areas such as Teams channels and OneDrive folders. Document findings and remediation actions to create a traceable audit trail. Extend controls across your stack and vendors. Your framework shouldn't stop at Microsoft 365. Review how each tool handles consent, retention, and deletion, then align defaults across platforms. Enable audit logging that tracks administrative actions and permission changes. Review how systems export or anonymize personal data for data subject access requests, or DSARs. Build a vendor register listing all third parties processing or storing personal data. Confirm where they store and process it, and request documentation of encryption at rest and in transit. Maintain backup readiness and continuous verification. GDPR Article 32 includes the ability to restore the availability of and access to personal data in a timely manner following a physical or technical incident. Back up Microsoft 365 services and SaaS apps that contain or process personal data, conduct quarterly restore tests, and define RTO and RPO per system based on the sensitivity and importance of the data. Schedule monthly checks for encryption status, CFA state, privileged group membership, patch posture, and DLP activity. Standardize your DSAR response process with clear stages for discovery, legal review, redaction, and secure delivery. When you connect compliance requirements to clear controls and pair them with regular checks, your GDPR compliance program becomes more consistent, traceable, and easier to demonstrate during audits. For more information, check out our official blog post on how to configure GDPR controls that hold up in audits, linked in the description below.