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Data Flow Mapping

What is Data Flow Mapping?

The visual documentation of how personal data moves through an organization's systems, processes, and third parties to identify privacy risks and compliance gaps.

Privacy and Data Protection

Each of these is named in at least one of the same controls as data flow mapping. The number is how many controls name both.

What the standards actually require on data flow mapping

Requirements naming data flow mapping across 6 standards, quoted from the control text.

Asset management and data flow mapping. Implements CyFun ID.AM-3 / ID.AM-4: organisational communication and data flows are mapped and external information systems are catalogued.

BE-CF-33 · Asset management and data flow mapping

Map the data flows between DER assets, aggregators, distribution operators, and grid operators, including command and telemetry channels.

DER-ID-02 · Data Flow Mapping for DER

Apply NIST Privacy Framework v1.0 (January 2020) Identify-P function categories: Business Environment (ID.BE-P) covering organizational mission + roles + responsibilities + stakeholders;

NISTPF-1 · Identify-P - Business Environment, Data Processing Inventory, Ecosystem, and Risk Assessment

Apply Section 6 data classification and handling in cloud per FIPS 199 categorisation + agency data sensitivity + GDPR + CCPA + 24 state privacy laws + HIPAA + PCI DSS + SOX.

NISTSP144-3 · Data Classification, Handling, and Sovereignty

Protect patron data + employee data + financial transaction data + responsible gaming data per NGC 5.260(i). Maintain data inventory + classification scheme (confidential + restricted + internal + public) + data flow mapping.

NGCB-7 · Patron and Employee Data Protection + Data Inventory + Vendor Management

Questions people ask about data flow mapping

What is Data Flow Mapping?
The visual documentation of how personal data moves through an organization's systems, processes, and third parties to identify privacy risks and compliance gaps.
Why is Data Flow Mapping important for compliance?
Data Flow Mapping is a key concept in Privacy and Data Protection. Understanding data flow mapping helps organizations meet regulatory requirements, reduce risk, and demonstrate due diligence during audits. Our compliance platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings.
Which compliance frameworks address Data Flow Mapping?
Data Flow Mapping appears in the requirement text of Belgium CyberFundamentals, NIST SP 1800-32, Kazakhstan Law on Personal Data and Their Protection (No. 94-V), NIST Privacy Framework, NIST SP 800-144. Across these standards we have identified 6 controls that name it directly, each linked to the control text on the compliance platform.
Where can I learn more about Data Flow Mapping?
Explore our compliance framework pages to see how data flow mapping applies across different standards and regulations. Our implementation guides provide step-by-step guidance, and the compliance platform offers AI-powered analysis of how this concept maps across 686 frameworks.

See how Data Flow Mapping applies across compliance frameworks

Our platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings. Explore how this concept is addressed across standards.

Written and maintained by Gerard Blokdyk, The Art of Service.