CIDaTa: an ontology-based framework for international data transfers and GDPR compliance

Abstract

Cross-border data transfers and their legal aspects have created a daunting landscape for application and service providers, in which rules and regulations need to be constantly monitored and addressed, especially in dynamic scenarios such as cloud brokerage or cloud/edge operations. The aim of this work is to semantically model several concepts surrounding international data transfers based on the current changes and formulate them around a newly defined ontology (CIDaTa). The work exploits 23 existing ontologies, as dictated by the Linked Data paradigm, and introduces 54 links between them. This aids the IT professional in answering questions regarding the legality of a transfer or the necessary steps needed to achieve it. Example questions set to the framework are demonstrated that can enhance the understanding of the implications of a data transfer, enabling future additions that can lead to more automated management of these transfers.