The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 has set a new benchmark for personal data protection in India. One of the most critical requirements under this law is the 72-hour breach notification mandate—any organization that experiences a data breach must report it to the Data Protection Authority (DPA) within 72 hours of becoming aware of it. 

For organizations handling sensitive data, complying with this timeline can be challenging. Early detection, impact assessment, and coordinated reporting require robust processes. This is where GoTrust, a privacy management and compliance platform, can play a vital role. 

Understanding the 72-Hour Breach Notification Rule 

A data breach under DPDP is any unauthorized access, disclosure, or modification of personal data. Key points include: 

• The 72-hour window starts when the breach is detected, not when it occurs. 

• Notifications must detail the nature, scope, affected data, and mitigation measures. 

• Non-compliance can lead to penalties, audits, and reputational damage. 

Organizations need a systematic approach to meet this mandate, combining technology, process, and human readiness. 

How to Prepare for the 72-Hour Rule 

1. Incident Detection and Monitoring 

Challenge: Detecting breaches quickly can be difficult without real-time monitoring. 
GoTrust Solution: GoTrust offers centralized dashboards and automated monitoring tools to detect unusual access patterns and potential breaches across your systems. 

2. Streamlined Breach Assessment 

Challenge: Assessing the impact of a breach and identifying affected data can be time-consuming. 
GoTrust Solution: The platform enables automated data discovery and classification, making it easy to evaluate affected records and prioritize responses. 

3. Automated Breach Reporting 

Challenge: Preparing accurate reports under a tight timeline is stressful. 
GoTrust Solution: GoTrust provides pre-configured notification templates aligned with DPDP requirements. Notifications can be generated and sent to the DPA and affected individuals quickly, reducing manual effort and errors. 

4. Centralized Documentation and Audit Trail 

Challenge: Maintaining proper logs for compliance audits is often neglected. 
GoTrust Solution: All breach-related activities—detection, assessment, mitigation, and reporting—are automatically logged, creating a secure, auditable trail for regulators. 

5. Staff Awareness and Training 

Challenge: Employees may not know how to respond immediately during a breach. 
GoTrust Solution: The platform supports policy management and training modules, ensuring employees understand their responsibilities and can act quickly in case of a breach. 

Why GoTrust is a Game-Changer for DPDP Compliance 

By integrating monitoring, assessment, reporting, and documentation in one platform, GoTrust helps organizations: 

• Detect breaches in real time 

• Reduce manual effort in assessment and reporting 

• Comply with the 72-hour notification rule 

• Maintain transparency and build trust with customers 

Conclusion 

Compliance with the DPDP 72-hour breach notification mandate requires speed, accuracy, and coordination. With GoTrust, organizations can automate detection, assessment, and reporting, ensuring they meet regulatory requirements while minimizing risk. 

Key Takeaway: Preparing for DPDP breaches isn’t just about compliance—it’s about building a culture of trust and resilience. GoTrust provides the tools to achieve both efficiently and confidently.