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PRI-38: Data Subject Authentication

PRI 6 — Medium Protect

Mechanisms exist to utilize reasonable consumer expectations to verify a data subject's identity, prior to taking action to disclose, share, correct, amend and/or delete Personal Data (PD).

Renumbered: Formerly PRI-06.8 in SCF 2025.4.

Control Question: Does the organization utilize reasonable consumer expectations to verify a data subject's identity, prior to taking action to disclose, share, correct, amend and/or delete Personal Data (PD)?

General (2)
Framework Mapping Values
AICPA Privacy Management Framework (PMF) A5.1-POF1
SCF DPMP 2026 6.1
US (5)
Framework Mapping Values
USA California CCPA 2025 7060(a) 7060(b) 7060(c) 7060(c)(1) 7060(c)(2) 7060(c)(3) 7060(c)(3)(A) 7060(c)(3)(B) 7060(c)(3)(C) 7060(c)(3)(D) 7060(c)(3)(E) 7060(c)(3)(F) 7060(d) 7060(e) 7060(f) 7060(g) 7060(h) 7061(a) 7061(b) 7062(a) 7062(b) 7062(c) 7062(d) 7062(f) 7062(g)
USA Colorado Colorado Privacy Act 2021 6-1-1306(1) 6-1-1306(2)(d)
USA Montana CDPA 2025 30-14-2808(4)(d) 30-14-2809(2)
USA Nevada Privacy Law 2023 603A.505.2(b)
USA Oregon 646A 2025 646A.576(2)
EMEA (4)
Framework Mapping Values
EMEA Germany FDPA 2017 3.3.57(3) 3.3.59(4)
EMEA UK DPA 2018 Section 52(4) Section 52(4)(a) Section 52(4)(b)
EMEA Nigeria DPR 2019 3.1(5)
EMEA Qatar PDPPL 2020 4.17.3
APAC (2)
Framework Mapping Values
APAC Australian Privacy Principles 2026 1.2.2.a 1.2.2.b
APAC Malaysia PDPA 2010 32(1)(a)(i) 32(1)(a)(ii) 32(1)(a)(ii)(A) 32(1)(a)(ii)(B)
Americas (2)
Framework Mapping Values
Americas Canada PIPEDA 2000 P9-4.9.2
Americas Colombia Law 1581 2012 IV.9 IV.12

Capability Maturity Model

Level 0 — Not Performed

Practices are non-existent, based on the inability to demonstrate an implemented and operational capability. A reasonable person would conclude the control is not being performed.

Level 1 — Performed Informally

SCR-CMM Level 1 criteria definitions are not available for this control: ▪ A reasonable person would conclude this control requires a structured process. ▪ At this level of maturity, the "ad hoc" nature of performing a capability informally would indicate the intent of the control is not met due to a lack of consistency and formality.

Level 2 — Planned & Tracked

Privacy (PRI) capabilities are requirements-driven, but are not standardized across the entity (e.g., local/regional level consistency). Capability criteria associated with this control reasonably expect the following criteria to exist: ▪ Policies and standards associated with PRI domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with PRI domain capabilities are documented and maintained by process owners. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel work with business stakeholders and process owners to appropriately scope and reasonably implement cybersecurity and data protection controls associated with PRI domain capabilities to address applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). ▪ Data privacy management-related controls are primarily administrative and preventative in nature (e.g., policies, standards and procedures & guidelines). ▪ Data privacy management may be a defined function (e.g., team or department) or assigned as an additional duty to existing IT and/or cybersecurity personnel. ▪ The data privacy program is developed to work with IT and cybersecurity staff to ensure that applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual data privacy obligations for Personal Data (PD) are properly identified and implemented.

Level 3 — Well Defined

Privacy (PRI) capabilities are standardized across the entity for applicability to People, Processes, Technologies, Data and/or Facilities (PPTDF) to ensure consistency for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). Capability criteria associated with this control reasonably expect the following criteria to exist: ▪ Policies and standards associated with PRI domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with PRI domain capabilities are well-documented and kept current by process owners. ▪ A data privacy team, or similar function, is appropriately staffed and supported to implement and maintain PRI domain capabilities. ▪ Technology is leveraged to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of data privacy operations (e.g., privacy notice management software and customer management solution). ▪ The entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function, works with business stakeholders and process owners to appropriately scope and reasonably implement cybersecurity and data protection controls associated with PRI domain capabilities to address Minimum Compliance Requirements (MCR) (e.g., applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements) and Discretionary Security Requirements (DSR) (e.g., entity-required controls). ▪ An implemented and operational capability exists to utilize reasonable consumer expectations to verify a data subject's identity, prior to taking action to disclose, share, correct, amend and/or delete Personal Data (PD).

Level 4 — Quantitatively Controlled

Utilize SCR-CMM Level 3 criteria definitions: ▪ There are no defined Level 4 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a quantitatively-controlled process is not necessary to operationalize this control. ▪ While it may be possible to develop “metrics-driven” capabilities for this control, the criteria would be organization-specific to define.

Level 5 — Continuously Improving

Utilize SCR-CMM Level 3 or Level 4 (if available) criteria definitions: ▪ There are no defined Level 5 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a continuously-improving process is not necessary to operationalize this control. ▪ Level 5 capabilities should be considered “world-class” where the control builds on Level 4 capabilities, but are continuously improving through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Machine Learning (ML) technologies. ▪ While it may be possible to develop responsive capabilities for this control through the use of AI and/or ML technologies, the criteria would be organization-specific to define.

Assessment Objectives

  1. PRI-38_A01 reasonable consumer expectations to verify a data subject's identity, prior to taking action to disclose, share, correct, amend and/or delete Personal Data (PD), are identified.
  2. PRI-38_A02 reasonable consumer expectations are utilized to verify a data subject's identity, prior to taking action to disclose, share, correct, amend and/or delete Personal Data (PD).

Evidence Requirements

E-PRI-06 Data Subject Access

Documented evidence of how data subject access requests are handled that includes intake through remediation.

Privacy

Technology Recommendations

Micro/Small

  • Verify identity before providing personal data to data subject

Small

  • Identity verification procedure for data subject requests

Medium

  • Formal data subject authentication policy
  • Identity proofing for DSAR fulfillment

Large

  • Enterprise DSAR platform with data subject identity verification

Enterprise

  • Enterprise privacy management platform (e.g., OneTrust)
  • Automated identity verification for DSARs
  • Multi-factor data subject authentication

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