ISO/IEC 29134:2023
(Main)Information technology — Security techniques — Guidelines for privacy impact assessment
Information technology — Security techniques — Guidelines for privacy impact assessment
This document gives guidelines for: — a process on privacy impact assessments, and — a structure and content of a PIA report. It is applicable to all types and sizes of organizations, including public companies, private companies, government entities and not-for-profit organizations. This document is relevant to those involved in designing or implementing projects, including the parties operating data processing systems and services that process PII.
Technologies de l'information — Techniques de sécurité — Lignes directrices pour l'étude d'impacts sur la vie privée
Le présent document établit des lignes directrices pour: — un processus d'évaluation des impacts sur la vie privée; et — une structure et un contenu d'un rapport d'évaluation des impacts sur la vie privée (PIA). Il s'applique aux organismes de tous types et de toutes tailles, y compris les entreprises publiques et privées, les entités gouvernementales et les organisations à but non lucratif. Le présent document s'adresse à toute personne impliquée dans la conception ou la réalisation de projets, y compris les parties qui exploitent des systèmes et services de traitement des données qui traitent des DCP.
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INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 29134
Second edition
2023-05
Information technology — Security
techniques — Guidelines for privacy
impact assessment
Technologies de l'information — Techniques de sécurité — Lignes
directrices pour l'étude d'impacts sur la vie privée
Reference number
ISO/IEC 29134:2023(E)
© ISO/IEC 2023
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ISO/IEC 29134:2023(E)
COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DOCUMENT
© ISO/IEC 2023
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: +41 22 749 01 11
Email: copyright@iso.org
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii
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ISO/IEC 29134:2023(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .v
Introduction . vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Abbreviated terms . 3
5 Preparing the grounds for PIA .4
5.1 Benefits of carrying out a PIA . 4
5.2 O bjectives of PIA reporting . 5
5.3 Accountability to conduct a PIA . 5
5.4 Scale of a PIA. 6
6 Guidance on the process for conducting a PIA . 6
6.1 General . 6
6.2 Determine whether a PIA is necessary (threshold analysis) . 7
6.3 Preparation of the PIA . 7
6.3.1 Set up the PIA team and provide it with direction. 7
6.3.2 Prepare a PIA plan and determine the necessary resources for conducting
the PIA . 9
6.3.3 Describe what is being assessed . 10
6.3.4 Stakeholder engagement . 11
6.4 Perform the PIA . 13
6.4.1 Identify information flows of PII . 13
6.4.2 Analyse the implications of the use case . 14
6.4.3 Determine the relevant privacy safeguarding requirements .15
6.4.4 A ssess privacy risk . 16
6.4.5 Prepare for treating privacy risks . 19
6.5 Follow up the PIA . . .23
6.5.1 Prepare the report . 23
6.5.2 Publication . 24
6.5.3 Implement privacy risk treatment plans . 24
6.5.4 R eview and/or audit of the PIA . 25
6.5.5 Reflect changes to the process . 26
7 PIA report .26
7.1 General . 26
7.2 Report structure . 27
7.3 Scope of PIA . 27
7.3.1 Process under evaluation . 27
7.3.2 Risk criteria .29
7.3.3 Resources and people involved .29
7.3.4 Stakeholder consultation .29
7.4 Privacy requirements . 29
7.5 Risk assessment . 29
7.5.1 Risk sources .29
7.5.2 Threats and their likelihood .29
7.5.3 Consequences and their level of impact .30
7.5.4 Risk evaluation.30
7.5.5 C ompliance analysis .30
7.6 Risk treatment plan. 30
7.7 Conclusion and decisions .30
7.8 PIA public summary . 30
Annex A (informative) Scale criteria on the level of impact and on the likelihood .32
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ISO/IEC 29134:2023(E)
Annex B (informative) Generic threats .34
Annex C (informative) Guidance on the understanding of terms used .38
Annex D (informative) Illustrated examples supporting the PIA process .41
Bibliography .43
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ISO/IEC 29134:2023(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are
members of ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical
committees established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical
activity. ISO and IEC technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the
work.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance
are described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria
needed for the different types of document should be noted. This document was drafted in
accordance with the editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives or
www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs).
ISO and IEC draw attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the
use of (a) patent(s). ISO and IEC take no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of
any claimed patent rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO and IEC
had not received notice of (a) patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However,
implementers are cautioned that this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained
from the patent database available at www.iso.org/patents and https://patents.iec.ch. ISO and IEC shall
not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to
the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see
www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html. In the IEC, see www.iec.ch/understanding-standards.
This document was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 27, Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/IEC 29134:2017), which has been
technically revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— minor editorial changes have been made.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards
body. A complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html and
www.iec.ch/national-committees.
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ISO/IEC 29134:2023(E)
Introduction
A privacy impact assessment (PIA) is an instrument for:
— assessing the potential impacts on privacy of a process, information system, programme, software
module, device or other initiative which processes personally identifiable information (PII);
— taking necessary actions, in consultation with stakeholders, to treat privacy risk.
A PIA report can include documentation about measures taken for risk treatment, for example, measures
arising from the use of the information security management system (ISMS) in ISO/IEC 27001. A PIA is
more than a tool: it is a process that begins at the earliest possible stages of an initiative, when there are
still opportunities to influence its outcome and thereby ensure privacy by design. It is a process that
continues until, and even after, the project has been deployed.
Initiatives vary substantially in scale and impact. Objectives falling under the heading of “privacy”
will depend on culture, societal expectations and jurisdiction. This document is intended to provide
scalable guidance that can be applied to all initiatives. Since guidance specific to all circumstances
cannot be prescriptive, the guidance in this document should be interpreted with respect to individual
circumstances.
A PII controller can have a responsibility to conduct a PIA and can request a PII processor to assist in
doing this, acting on the PII controller’s behalf. A PII processor or a supplier can also wish to conduct
their own PIA.
A supplier's PIA information is especially relevant when digitally connected devices are part of the
information system, application or process being assessed. It can be necessary for suppliers of such
devices to provide privacy-relevant design information to those undertaking the PIA. It is possible that
the provider of digital devices is unskilled in and not resourced for PIAs, for example:
— a small retailer, or
— a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) using digitally connected devices in the course of its
normal business operations.
In such circumstances, in order to enable it to undertake minimal PIA activity, the device supplier can
be called upon to provide a great deal of privacy information and undertake its own PIA with respect to
the expected PII principal/SME context for the equipment they supply.
A PIA is typically conducted by an organization that takes its responsibility seriously and treats PII
principals adequately. In some jurisdictions, legal and regulatory requirements regarding PIA can apply.
This document is intended to be used when the privacy impact on PII principals includes consideration
of processes, information systems or programmes, where:
— the responsibility for the implementation and/or delivery of the process, information system or
programme is shared with other organizations and it should be ensured that each organization
properly addresses the identified risks;
— an organization is performing privacy risk management as part of its overall risk management effort
while preparing for the implementation or improvement of its ISMS (established in accordance with
ISO/IEC 27001 or an equivalent management system); or an organization is performing privacy risk
management as an independent function;
— an organization (e.g. government) is undertaking an initiative (e.g. a public-private-partnership
programme) in which the future PII controller organization is not known yet, with the result that the
treatment plan cannot be implemented directly and, therefore, it is presupposed that this treatment
plan becomes part of corresponding legislation, regulation or the contract instead;
— the organization wants to act responsibly towards the PII principals.
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ISO/IEC 29134:2023(E)
Controls deemed necessary to treat the risks identified during the privacy impact analysis process
can be derived from multiple sets of controls, including ISO/IEC 27002 (for security controls) and
ISO/IEC 29151 (for PII protection controls), or comparable national standards, or they can be defined
by the person responsible for conducting the PIA, independently of any other control set.
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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 29134:2023(E)
Information technology — Security techniques —
Guidelines for privacy impact assessment
1 Scope
This document gives guidelines for:
— a process on privacy impact assessments, and
— a structure and content of a PIA report.
It is applicable to all types and sizes of organizations, including public companies, private companies,
government entities and not-for-profit organizations.
This document is relevant to those involved in designing or implementing projects, including the parties
operating data processing systems and services that process PII.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO Guide 73:2009, Risk management — Vocabulary
ISO/IEC 27000:2018, Information technology — Security techniques — Information security management
systems — Overview and vocabulary
ISO/IEC 29100:2011, Information technology — Security techniques — Privacy framework
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/IEC 29100, ISO/IEC 27000,
ISO Guide 73 and the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
acceptance statement
formal management declaration to assume responsibility for risk ownership, risk treatment and
residual risk
3.2
asset
things that have value to anyone involved in the processing of personally identifiable information (PII)
Note 1 to entry: In the context of a privacy risk management process, an asset is either PII or a supporting asset.
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ISO/IEC 29134:2023(E)
3.3
assessor
person who leads and conducts a privacy impact assessment (3.7)
Note 1 to entry: The assessor may be supported by one or more other internal and/or external experts as part of
their team.
Note 2 to entry: The assessor may be an expert internal or external to the organization.
3.4
process
set of interrelated or interacting activities which transforms inputs into outputs
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 27000:2018, 3.54]
3.5
device
combination of hardware and software, or solely software, that allows a user to perform actions
3.6
privacy impact
anything that has an effect on the privacy of a PII principal and/or group of PII principals
Note 1 to entry: The privacy impact can result from the processing of PII in conformance or in violation of privacy
safeguarding requirements.
3.7
privacy impact assessment
PIA
overall process of identifying, analysing, evaluating, consulting, communicating and planning the
treatment of potential privacy impacts with regard to the processing of personally identifiable
information, framed within an organization’s broader risk management framework
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 29100:2011, 2.20, modified — Note 1 to entry has been deleted.]
3.8
privacy risk map
diagram that indicates the level of impact and likelihood of privacy risks identified
Note 1 to entry: The map is typically used to determine the order in which the privacy risks should be treated.
3.9
programme
group of projects managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits not available from managing them
individually
[SOURCE: ISO 14300-1:2011, 3.2]
3.10
project
unique process, consisting of a set of coordinated and controlled activities with start and finish dates,
undertaken to achieve an objective conforming to specific requirements, including the constraints of
time, cost and resources
[SOURCE: ISO 9000:2015, 3.4.2]
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ISO/IEC 29134:2023(E)
3.11
organization
person or group of people that has its own functions with responsibilities, authorities and relationships
to achieve its objectives
Note 1 to entry: The concept of organization includes but is not limited to sole-trader, company, corporation, firm,
enterprise, authority, partnership, charity or institution, or part or combination thereof, whether incorporated
or not, public or private.
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 27000:2018, 3.50]
3.12
severity
estimation of the magnitude of potential impacts on the privacy of a PII principal
3.13
system
information system
set of applications, services, information technology assets, or other information handling components
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 27000:2018, 3.36, modified — "system" has been added as a preferred term.]
3.14
stakeholder
person or organization that can affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision or
activity
Note 1 to entry: Includes personally identifiable information principals, management, regulators and customers.
Note 2 to entry: Consultation with stakeholders is integral to a privacy impact assessment.
[SOURCE: ISO 37000:2021, 3.3.1, modified — Notes 1 and 2 to entry have been modified.]
3.15
technology
hardware, software, and firmware systems and system elements including, but not limited to,
information technology, embedded systems, or any other electro-mechanical or processor-based
systems
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 16509:1999, 3.3]
4 Abbreviated terms
API application programming interface
BYOD bring your own device
ICT information and communication technologies
IPMA International Project Management Association
ISMS information security management system
PII personally identifiable information
PRINCE PRojects IN controlled environments
SME small and medium-sized enterprises
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ISO/IEC 29134:2023(E)
5 Preparing the grounds for PIA
5.1 Benefits of carrying out a PIA
This document provides guidance that can be adapted to a wide range of situations where PII is
processed. However, in general, a PIA can be carried out for the purpose of:
— identifying privacy impacts, privacy risks and responsibilities;
— providing input to design for privacy protection (sometimes called privacy by design);
— reviewing a new information system’s privacy risks and assessing its impact and likelihood;
— providing the basis for the provision of privacy information to PII principals on any PII principal
mitigation action recommended;
— maintaining later updates or upgrades with additional functionality likely to impact the PII that are
handled;
— sharing and mitigating privacy risks with stakeholders, or providing evidence relating to compliance.
NOTE A PIA is sometimes referred to by other terms, for example, a “privacy review” or a “data protection
impact assessment”. These particular instances of a PIA can come with specific implications for both process and
reporting.
A PIA has often been described as an early warning system. It provides a way to detect potential privacy
risks arising from the processing of PII and thereby informing an organization of where they should take
precautions and build tailored safeguards before, not after, the organization makes heavy investments.
The costs of amending a project at the planning stage is usually a fraction of those incurred later on.
If the privacy impact is unacceptable, the project can even have to be cancelled altogether. Thus, a PIA
helps to identify privacy issues early and/or to reduce costs in management time, legal expenses and
potential media or public concern by considering privacy issues early. It can also help an organization
to avoid costly or embarrassing privacy mistakes.
Although a PIA should be more than simply a compliance check, it does nevertheless contribute to an
organization’s demonstration of its compliance with relevant privacy and data protection requirements
in the event of a subsequent complaint, privacy audit or compliance investigation. In the event of
a privacy risk or breach occurring, the PIA report can provide evidence that the organization acted
appropriately in attempting to prevent the occurrence. This can help to reduce or even eliminate any
liability, negative publicity and loss of reputation.
An appropriate PIA also demonstrates to an organization’s customers and/or citizens that it respects
their privacy and is responsive to their concerns. Customers or citizens are more likely to trust an
organization that performs a PIA than one that does not.
A PIA enhances informed decision-making and exposes internal communication gaps or hidden
assumptions on privacy issues about the project. A PIA is a tool to undertake the systematic analysis of
privacy issues arising from a project in order to inform decision makers. A PIA can be a credible source
of information.
A PIA enables an organization to learn about the privacy pitfalls of a process, information system or
programme upfront, rather than having its auditors or competitors point them out. A PIA assists in
anticipating and responding to the public’s privacy concerns.
A PIA can help an organization gain the public’s trust and confidence that privacy has been built into
the design of a process, information system or programme.
Trust is built on transparency, and a PIA is a disciplined process that promotes open communications,
common understanding and transparency. An organization that undertakes a PIA demonstrates to its
employees and contractors that it takes privacy seriously and expects them that they do too. A PIA is a
way of educating employees about privacy and making them alert to privacy problems that can damage
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ISO/IEC 29134:2023(E)
the organization. It is a way to affirm the organization’s values. A PIA can be used as an indication of
due diligence and can reduce the number of customer audits.
5.2 Objecti ves of PIA reporting
The PIA reporting objective is to communicate assessment results to stakeholders. Expectations from a
PIA exist from multiple stakeholders.
The following are typical examples of stakeholders and their expectations.
— PII principal: PIA is an instrument to enable subjects of PII to have assurance that their privacy is
being protected.
— Management: Several viewpoints apply with:
— PIA as an instrument to manage privacy risks, create awareness and establish accountability;
visibility over PII processing within the organization, and possible risks and impacts of the
same; inputs to business or product strategy;
— Building the PIA into the earliest stages of the project ensures the privacy requirements are
included in the functional and non-functional requirements, are achievable, viable and traced
through change and risk management and can result in the project not happening or being
cancelled. The effort to classify and manage project PII should be funded as a separate investment
line item and amount in a project or programme budget, acceptable to all stakeholders;
— PIA as an opportunity to better understand privacy requirements and assess activi
...
Reference number of working document: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27 N 16930
Date: 2016-11-202023-01-13
Reference number of document: ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
Committee identification: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27/WG 5
Secretariat: DIN
Information technology — Security techniques — Guidelines for privacy impact assessment
Technologies de l'information — Techniques de sécurité — Lignes directrices pour l'évaluation d'impacts
sur la vie privée
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ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:20172023(E)
© ISO 2023
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no
part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without
prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or
ISO's member body in the country of the requester.
ISO Copyright Office
CP 401 • CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: + 41 22 749 01 11
Email: copyright@iso.org
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland.
ii © ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 2 ----------------------
ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:20172023(E)
Contents Page
Foreword . v
Introduction . vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Abbreviated terms . 3
5 Preparing the grounds for PIA . 4
5.1 Benefits of carrying out a PIA . 4
5.2 Objectives of PIA reporting . 5
5.3 Accountability to conduct a PIA . 6
5.4 Scale of a PIA . 6
6 Guidance on the process for conducting a PIA . 6
6.1 General . 6
6.2 Determine whether a PIA is necessary (threshold analysis) . 7
6.3 Preparation of the PIA . 8
6.3.1 Set up the PIA team and provide it with direction . 8
6.3.2 Prepare a PIA plan and determine the necessary resources for conducting the PIA . 9
6.3.3 Describe what is being assessed . 10
6.3.4 Stakeholder engagement . 12
6.4 Perform the PIA . 15
6.4.1 Identify information flows of PII . 15
6.4.2 Analyse the implications of the use case . 15
6.4.3 Determine the relevant privacy safeguarding requirements . 16
6.4.4 Assess privacy risk . 17
6.4.5 Prepare for treating privacy risks . 20
6.5 Follow up the PIA . 25
6.5.1 Prepare the report . 25
6.5.2 Publication . 25
6.5.3 Implement privacy risk treatment plans . 26
6.5.4 Review and/or audit of the PIA . 26
6.5.5 Reflect changes to the process . 27
7 PIA report . 27
7.1 General . 27
7.2 Report structure . 28
7.3 Scope of PIA. 28
7.3.1 Process under evaluation . 28
7.3.2 Risk criteria . 30
7.3.3 Resources and people involved . 30
7.3.4 Stakeholder consultation . 30
7.4 Privacy requirements . 30
7.5 Risk assessment . 31
7.5.1 Risk sources . 31
7.5.2 Threats and their likelihood. 31
7.5.3 Consequences and their level of impact . 31
7.5.4 Risk evaluation . 31
7.5.5 Compliance analysis . 31
7.6 Risk treatment plan . 31
7.7 Conclusion and decisions . 31
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ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:20172023(E)
7.8 PIA public summary .31
Annex A (informative) Scale criteria on the level of impact and on the likelihood .33
Annex B (informative) Generic threats .35
Annex C (informative) Guidance on the understanding of terms used .40
Annex D (informative) Illustrated examples supporting the PIA process .43
Bibliography .43
iv © ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved
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ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:20172023(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are
members of ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical
committees established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity.
ISO and IEC technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the
work. In the field of information technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee,
ISO/IEC JTC 1.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance
with the editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see
www.iso.org/directiveswww.iso.org/directives or www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details
of any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patentswww.iso.org/patents) or the IEC
list of patent declarations received (see https://patents.iec.ch).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation onof the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World
Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see the following URL:
www.iso.org/iso/foreword.htmlwww.iso.org/iso/foreword.html. In the IEC, see
www.iec.ch/understanding-standards.
This document was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 27, Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection.
This second edition incorporates cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/IEC 29134:2017/DAmd 1),
which has been technically revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— minor editorial changes have been made.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html and www.iec.ch/national-
committees.
© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved v
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ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:20172023(E)
Introduction
A privacy impact assessment (PIA) is an instrument for:
— assessing the potential impacts on privacy of a process, information system, programme, software
module, device or other initiative which processes personally identifiable information (PII) and);
— taking necessary actions, in consultation with stakeholders, for taking actions as necessary in order to
treat privacy risk.
A PIA report maycan include documentation about measures taken for risk treatment, for example,
measures arising from the use of the information security management system (ISMS) in ISO/IEC 27001.
A PIA is more than a tool: it is a process that begins at the earliest possible stages of an initiative, when
there are still opportunities to influence its outcome and thereby ensure privacy by design. It is a process
that continues until, and even after, the project has been deployed.
Initiatives vary substantially in scale and impact. Objectives falling under the heading of “privacy” will
depend on culture, societal expectations and jurisdiction. This document is intended to provide scalable
guidance that can be applied to all initiatives. Since guidance specific to all circumstances cannot be
prescriptive, the guidance in this document should be interpreted with respect to individual
circumstancecircumstances.
A PII controller maycan have a responsibility to conduct a PIA and maycan request a PII processor to
assist in doing this, acting on the PII controller’s behalf. A PII processor or a supplier maycan also wish to
conduct their own PIA.
A supplier's PIA information is especially relevant when digitally connected devices are part of the
information system, application or process being assessed. It maycan be necessary for suppliers of such
devices to provide privacy-relevant design information to those undertaking the PIA. WhenIt is possible
that the provider of digital devices is unskilled in and not resourced for PIAs, for example:
— a small retailer, or
— a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) using digitally connected devices in the course of its
normal business operations,.
thenIn such circumstances, in order to enable it to undertake minimal PIA activity, the device supplier
maycan be called upon to provide a great deal of privacy information and undertake its own PIA with
respect to the expected PII principal/SME context for the equipment they supply.
A PIA is typically conducted by an organization that takes its responsibility seriously and treats PII
principals adequately. In some jurisdictions, a PIA may be necessary to meet legal and regulatory
requirements regarding PIA can apply.
This document is intended to be used when the privacy impact on PII principals includes consideration
of processes, information systems or programmes, where:
— the responsibility for the implementation and/or delivery of the process, information system or
programme is shared with other organizations and it should be ensured that each organization
properly addresses the identified risks;
— an organization is performing privacy risk management as part of its overall risk management effort
while preparing for the implementation or improvement of its ISMS (established in accordance with
ISO/IEC 27001 or an equivalent management system); or an organization is performing privacy risk
management as an independent function;
— an organization (e.g. government) is undertaking an initiative (e.g. a public-private-partnership
programme) in which the future PII controller organization is not known yet, with the result that the
vi © ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved
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ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:20172023(E)
treatment plan could not getcannot be implemented directly and, therefore, it is presupposed that
this treatment plan should becomebecomes part of corresponding legislation, regulation or the
contract instead;
— the organization wants to act responsible towards the PII principals.
Controls deemed necessary to treat the risks identified during the privacy impact analysis process
maycan be derived from multiple sets of controls, including ISO/IEC 27002 (for security controls) and
ISO/IEC 29151 (for PII protection controls)), or comparable national standards, or they maycan be
defined by the person responsible for conducting the PIA, independently of any other control set.
© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved vii
---------------------- Page: 7 ----------------------
ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:20172023(E)
Content
1 Scope . Error! Bookmark not defined.
2 Normative references . Error! Bookmark not defined.
3 Terms and definitions . Error! Bookmark not defined.
4 Abbreviations . Error! Bookmark not defined.
5 Preparing the grounds for PIA . Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.1 Benefits of carrying out a PIA . Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.2 Objectives of PIA reporting . Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.3 Accountability to conduct a PIA . Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.4 Scale of a PIA . Error! Bookmark not defined.
6 Guidance on the process for conducting a PIA . Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.1 General . Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.2 Determine whether a PIA is necessary (threshold analysis) . Error! Bookmark not
defined.
6.3 Preparation of the PIA . Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.3.1 Set up the PIA team and provide it with direction . Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.3.2 Prepare a PIA plan and determine the necessary resources for conducting the PIA
. Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.3.3 Describe what is being assessed . Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.3.4 Stakeholder engagement . Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.4 Perform the PIA . Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.4.1 Identify information flows of PII . Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.4.2 Analyse the implications of the use case . Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.4.3 Determine the relevant privacy safeguarding requirements . Error! Bookmark not
defined.
6.4.4 Assess privacy risk. Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.4.5 Prepare for treating privacy risks . Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.5 Follow up the PIA . Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.5.1 Prepare the report . Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.5.2 Publication . Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.5.3 Implement privacy risk treatment plans . Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.5.4 Review and/or audit of the PIA . Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.5.5 Reflect changes to the process . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7 PIA report . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.1 General . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.2 Report structure . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.3 Scope of PIA . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.3.1 Process under evaluation . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.3.2 Risk criteria . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.3.3 Resources and people involved . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.3.4 Stakeholder consultation . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.4 Privacy requirements . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.5 Risk assessment . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.5.1 Risk sources . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.5.2 Threats and their likelihood . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.5.3 Consequences and their level of impact . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.5.4 Risk evaluation . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.5.5 Compliance analysis . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.6 Risk treatment plan . Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.7 Conclusion and decisions . Error! Bookmark not defined.
viii © ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved
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ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:20172023(E)
7.8 PIA public summary. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Annex A (informative) Scale criteria on the level of impact and on the likelihood . Error!
Bookmark not defined.
A.1 General . Error! Bookmark not defined.
A.2 How to estimate the level of impact . Error! Bookmark not defined.
A.3 How to estimate the likelihood . Error! Bookmark not defined.
Annex B (informative) Generic threats . Error! Bookmark not defined.
Annex C (informative) Guidance on the understanding of terms used . Error! Bookmark not
defined.
C.1 Scope of a PIA . Error! Bookmark not defined.
C.2 Project . Error! Bookmark not defined.
C.3 Process. Error! Bookmark not defined.
C.4 Significance . Error! Bookmark not defined.
C.5 Monitoring and reviewing . Error! Bookmark not defined.
Annex D (informative) Illustrated examples supporting the PIA process . Error! Bookmark not
defined.
D.1 Workflow diagram of the PII processing. Error! Bookmark not defined.
D.2 Example of a privacy risk map . Error! Bookmark not defined.
© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved ix
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FINAL DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
Information technology — Security techniques — Privacy impact
assessment — Guidelines
1 Scope
This document gives guidelines for:
— a process on privacy impact assessments, and
— a structure and content of a PIA report.
It is applicable to all types and sizes of organizations, including public companies, private companies,
government entities and not-for-profit organizations.
This document is relevant to those involved in designing or implementing projects, including the parties
operating data processing systems and services that process PII.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO Guide 73:2009, Risk management — Vocabulary
ISO/IEC 27000:20162018, Information technology — Security techniques — Information security
management systems — Overview and vocabulary
ISO/IEC 29100:2011, Information technology — Security techniques — Privacy framework
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/IEC 29100, ISO/IEC 27000,
ISO Guide 73 and the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminologicalterminology databases for use in standardization at the following
addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obphttps://www.iso.org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
acceptance statement
formal management declaration to assume responsibility for risk ownership, risk treatment and residual
risk
3.2
© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved 1
---------------------- Page: 10 ----------------------
ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
asset
anythingthings that hashave value to anyone involved in the processing of personally identifiable
information (PII)
Note 1 to entry: In the context of a privacy risk management process, an asset is either PII or a supporting asset.
3.3
assessor
person who leads and conducts a privacy impact assessment (3.7)
Note 1 to entry: The assessor may be supported by one or more other internal and/or external experts as part of
their team.
Note 2 to entry: The assessor may be an expert internal or external to the organization.
3.4
process
set of interrelated or interacting activities which transforms inputs into outputs
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1, Consolidated ISO Supplement:2014 27000:2018, 3.1254]
3.5
device
combination of hardware and software, or solely software, that allows a user to perform actions
3.6
privacy impact
anything that has an effect on the privacy of a PII principal and/or group of PII principals
Note 1 to entry: The privacy impact couldcan result from the processing of PII in conformance or in violation of
privacy safeguarding requirements.
3.7
privacy impact assessment
PIA
overall process of identifying, analysing, evaluating, consulting, communicating and planning the
treatment of potential privacy impacts with regard to the processing of personally identifiable
information, framed within an organization’s broader risk management framework
Note 1 to entry: Adapted from[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 29100:2011, 2.20., modified — Note 1 to entry has been
deleted.]
3.8
privacy risk map
diagram that indicates the level of impact and likelihood of privacy risks identified
Note 1 to entry: The map is typically used to determine the order in which the privacy risks should be treated.
3.9
programme
group of projects managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits not available from managing them
individually
[SOURCE: ISO 14300--1:2011, 3.2]
3.10
22 © ISO/IEC 2016 2023 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 11 ----------------------
ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
project
unique process, consisting of a set of coordinated and controlled activities with start and finish dates,
undertaken to achieve an objective conforming to specific requirements, including the constraints of
time, cost and resources
[SOURCE: ISO 9000:2015, 3.4.2]
3.11
organization
person or group of people that has its own functions with responsibilities, authorities and relationships
to achieve its objectives
Note 1 to entry: The concept of organization includes, but is not limited to, sole-trader, company, corporation, firm,
enterprise, authority, partnership, charity or institution, or part or combination thereof, whether incorporated or
not, public or private.
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1, Consolidated ISO Supplement:2014 27000:2018, 3.0150]
3.12
severity
estimation of the magnitude of potential impacts on the privacy of a PII principal
3.13
system
information system
set of applications, services, information technology assets, or other inf
...
FINAL
INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
DRAFT
STANDARD FDIS
29134
ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27
Information technology — Security
Secretariat: DIN
techniques — Guidelines for privacy
Voting begins on:
2023-01-27 impact assessment
Voting terminates on:
Technologies de l'information — Techniques de sécurité — Lignes
2023-03-24
directrices pour l'étude d'impacts sur la vie privée
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED TO
SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS, NOTIFICATION
OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT RIGHTS OF WHICH
THEY ARE AWARE AND TO PROVIDE SUPPOR TING
DOCUMENTATION.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
Reference number
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL, TECHNO-
ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
LOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND USER PURPOSES,
DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MAY ON
OCCASION HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE
LIGHT OF THEIR POTENTIAL TO BECOME STAN-
DARDS TO WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
NATIONAL REGULATIONS. © ISO/IEC 2023
---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
FINAL
INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
DRAFT
STANDARD FDIS
29134
ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27
Information technology — Security
Secretariat: DIN
techniques — Guidelines for privacy
Voting begins on:
impact assessment
Voting terminates on:
Technologies de l'information — Techniques de sécurité — Lignes
directrices pour l'étude d'impacts sur la vie privée
COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DOCUMENT
© ISO/IEC 2023
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED TO
ISO copyright office
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OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT RIGHTS OF WHICH
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DOCUMENTATION.
Phone: +41 22 749 01 11
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
Reference number
Email: copyright@iso.org
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL, TECHNO
ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
Website: www.iso.org
LOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND USER PURPOSES,
DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MAY ON
Published in Switzerland
OCCASION HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE
LIGHT OF THEIR POTENTIAL TO BECOME STAN
DARDS TO WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
ii
© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved
NATIONAL REGULATIONS. © ISO/IEC 2023
---------------------- Page: 2 ----------------------
ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .v
Introduction . vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Abbreviated terms . 3
5 Preparing the grounds for PIA .4
5.1 Benefits of carrying out a PIA . 4
5.2 O bjectives of PIA reporting . 5
5.3 Accountability to conduct a PIA . 5
5.4 Scale of a PIA. 6
6 Guidance on the process for conducting a PIA . 6
6.1 General . 6
6.2 Determine whether a PIA is necessary (threshold analysis) . 7
6.3 Preparation of the PIA . 7
6.3.1 Set up the PIA team and provide it with direction. 7
6.3.2 Prepare a PIA plan and determine the necessary resources for conducting
the PIA . 9
6.3.3 Describe what is being assessed . 10
6.3.4 Stakeholder engagement . 11
6.4 Perform the PIA . 13
6.4.1 Identify information flows of PII . 13
6.4.2 Analyse the implications of the use case . 14
6.4.3 Determine the relevant privacy safeguarding requirements .15
6.4.4 A ssess privacy risk . 16
6.4.5 Prepare for treating privacy risks . 19
6.5 Follow up the PIA . . .23
6.5.1 Prepare the report . 23
6.5.2 Publication . 24
6.5.3 Implement privacy risk treatment plans . 24
6.5.4 R eview and/or audit of the PIA . 25
6.5.5 Reflect changes to the process . 26
7 PIA report .26
7.1 General . 26
7.2 Report structure . 27
7.3 Scope of PIA . 27
7.3.1 Process under evaluation . 27
7.3.2 Risk criteria .29
7.3.3 Resources and people involved .29
7.3.4 Stakeholder consultation .29
7.4 Privacy requirements . 29
7.5 Risk assessment . 29
7.5.1 Risk sources .29
7.5.2 Threats and their likelihood .29
7.5.3 Consequences and their level of impact .30
7.5.4 Risk evaluation.30
7.5.5 C ompliance analysis .30
7.6 Risk treatment plan. 30
7.7 Conclusion and decisions .30
7.8 PIA public summary . 30
Annex A (informative) Scale criteria on the level of impact and on the likelihood .32
iii
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ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
Annex B (informative) Generic threats .34
Annex C (informative) Guidance on the understanding of terms used .38
Annex D (informative) Illustrated examples supporting the PIA process .41
Bibliography .43
iv
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ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are
members of ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical
committees established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical
activity. ISO and IEC technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international
organizations, governmental and nongovernmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the
work.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance
are described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria
needed for the different types of document should be noted. This document was drafted in
accordance with the editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives or
www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject
of patent rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent
rights. Details of any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the
Introduction and/or on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents) or the IEC
list of patent declarations received (see https://patents.iec.ch).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to
the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see
www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html. In the IEC, see www.iec.ch/understandingstandards.
This document was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 27, Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/IEC 29134:2017), which has been
technically revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— minor editorial changes have been made.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards
body. A complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html and
www.iec.ch/nationalcommittees.
v
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ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
Introduction
A privacy impact assessment (PIA) is an instrument for:
— assessing the potential impacts on privacy of a process, information system, programme, software
module, device or other initiative which processes personally identifiable information (PII);
— taking necessary actions, in consultation with stakeholders, to treat privacy risk.
A PIA report can include documentation about measures taken for risk treatment, for example, measures
arising from the use of the information security management system (ISMS) in ISO/IEC 27001. A PIA is
more than a tool: it is a process that begins at the earliest possible stages of an initiative, when there are
still opportunities to influence its outcome and thereby ensure privacy by design. It is a process that
continues until, and even after, the project has been deployed.
Initiatives vary substantially in scale and impact. Objectives falling under the heading of “privacy”
will depend on culture, societal expectations and jurisdiction. This document is intended to provide
scalable guidance that can be applied to all initiatives. Since guidance specific to all circumstances
cannot be prescriptive, the guidance in this document should be interpreted with respect to individual
circumstances.
A PII controller can have a responsibility to conduct a PIA and can request a PII processor to assist in
doing this, acting on the PII controller’s behalf. A PII processor or a supplier can also wish to conduct
their own PIA.
A supplier's PIA information is especially relevant when digitally connected devices are part of the
information system, application or process being assessed. It can be necessary for suppliers of such
devices to provide privacy-relevant design information to those undertaking the PIA. It is possible that
the provider of digital devices is unskilled in and not resourced for PIAs, for example:
— a small retailer, or
— a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) using digitally connected devices in the course of its
normal business operations.
In such circumstances, in order to enable it to undertake minimal PIA activity, the device supplier can
be called upon to provide a great deal of privacy information and undertake its own PIA with respect to
the expected PII principal/SME context for the equipment they supply.
A PIA is typically conducted by an organization that takes its responsibility seriously and treats PII
principals adequately. In some jurisdictions, legal and regulatory requirements regarding PIA can apply.
This document is intended to be used when the privacy impact on PII principals includes consideration
of processes, information systems or programmes, where:
— the responsibility for the implementation and/or delivery of the process, information system or
programme is shared with other organizations and it should be ensured that each organization
properly addresses the identified risks;
— an organization is performing privacy risk management as part of its overall risk management effort
while preparing for the implementation or improvement of its ISMS (established in accordance with
ISO/IEC 27001 or an equivalent management system); or an organization is performing privacy risk
management as an independent function;
— an organization (e.g. government) is undertaking an initiative (e.g. a publicprivatepartnership
programme) in which the future PII controller organization is not known yet, with the result that the
treatment plan cannot be implemented directly and, therefore, it is presupposed that this treatment
plan becomes part of corresponding legislation, regulation or the contract instead;
— the organization wants to act responsible towards the PII principals.
vi
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ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
Controls deemed necessary to treat the risks identified during the privacy impact analysis process
can be derived from multiple sets of controls, including ISO/IEC 27002 (for security controls) and
ISO/IEC 29151 (for PII protection controls), or comparable national standards, or they can be defined
by the person responsible for conducting the PIA, independently of any other control set.
vii
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FINAL DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
Information technology — Security techniques —
Guidelines for privacy impact assessment
1 Scope
This document gives guidelines for:
— a process on privacy impact assessments, and
— a structure and content of a PIA report.
It is applicable to all types and sizes of organizations, including public companies, private companies,
government entities and not-for-profit organizations.
This document is relevant to those involved in designing or implementing projects, including the parties
operating data processing systems and services that process PII.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO Guide 73:2009, Risk management — Vocabulary
ISO/IEC 27000:2018, Information technology — Security techniques — Information security management
systems — Overview and vocabulary
ISO/IEC 29100:2011, Information technology — Security techniques — Privacy framework
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/IEC 29100, ISO/IEC 27000,
ISO Guide 73 and the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
acceptance statement
formal management declaration to assume responsibility for risk ownership, risk treatment and
residual risk
3.2
asset
things that have value to anyone involved in the processing of personally identifiable information (PII)
Note 1 to entry: In the context of a privacy risk management process, an asset is either PII or a supporting asset.
1
© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 8 ----------------------
ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
3.3
assessor
person who leads and conducts a privacy impact assessment (3.7)
Note 1 to entry: The assessor may be supported by one or more other internal and/or external experts as part of
their team.
Note 2 to entry: The assessor may be an expert internal or external to the organization.
3.4
process
set of interrelated or interacting activities which transforms inputs into outputs
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 27000:2018, 3.54]
3.5
device
combination of hardware and software, or solely software, that allows a user to perform actions
3.6
privacy impact
anything that has an effect on the privacy of a PII principal and/or group of PII principals
Note 1 to entry: The privacy impact can result from the processing of PII in conformance or in violation of privacy
safeguarding requirements.
3.7
privacy impact assessment
PIA
overall process of identifying, analysing, evaluating, consulting, communicating and planning the
treatment of potential privacy impacts with regard to the processing of personally identifiable
information, framed within an organization’s broader risk management framework
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 29100:2011, 2.20, modified — Note 1 to entry has been deleted.]
3.8
privacy risk map
diagram that indicates the level of impact and likelihood of privacy risks identified
Note 1 to entry: The map is typically used to determine the order in which the privacy risks should be treated.
3.9
programme
group of projects managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits not available from managing them
individually
[SOURCE: ISO 143001:2011, 3.2]
3.10
project
unique process, consisting of a set of coordinated and controlled activities with start and finish dates,
undertaken to achieve an objective conforming to specific requirements, including the constraints of
time, cost and resources
[SOURCE: ISO 9000:2015, 3.4.2]
2
© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 9 ----------------------
ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
3.11
organization
person or group of people that has its own functions with responsibilities, authorities and relationships
to achieve its objectives
Note 1 to entry: The concept of organization includes but is not limited to sole-trader, company, corporation, firm,
enterprise, authority, partnership, charity or institution, or part or combination thereof, whether incorporated
or not, public or private.
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 27000:2018, 3.50]
3.12
severity
estimation of the magnitude of potential impacts on the privacy of a PII principal
3.13
system
information system
set of applications, services, information technology assets, or other information handling components
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 27000:2018, 3.36, modified — "system" added as a preferred term.]
3.14
stakeholder
person or organization that can affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision or
activity
Note 1 to entry: Includes personally identifiable information principals, management, regulators and customers.
Note 2 to entry: Consultation with stakeholders is integral to a privacy impact assessment.
[SOURCE: ISO 37000:2021, 3.3.1, modified — Note 1 and Note 2 to entry have been modified.]
3.15
technology
hardware, software, and firmware systems and system elements including, but not limited to,
information technology, embedded systems, or any other electro-mechanical or processor-based
systems
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 16509:1999, 3.3]
4 Abbreviated terms
API application programming interface
BYOD bring your own device
ICT information and communication technologies
IPMA International Project Management Association
ISMS information security management system
PII personally identifiable information
PRINCE PRojects IN controlled environments
SME small and mediumsized enterprises
3
© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 10 ----------------------
ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
5 Preparing the grounds for PIA
5.1 Benefits of carrying out a PIA
This document provides guidance that can be adapted to a wide range of situations where PII is
processed. However, in general, a PIA can be carried out for the purpose of:
— identifying privacy impacts, privacy risks and responsibilities;
— providing input to design for privacy protection (sometimes called privacy by design);
— reviewing a new information system’s privacy risks and assessing its impact and likelihood;
— providing the basis for the provision of privacy information to PII principals on any PII principal
mitigation action recommended;
— maintaining later updates or upgrades with additional functionality likely to impact the PII that are
handled;
— sharing and mitigating privacy risks with stakeholders, or providing evidence relating to compliance.
NOTE A PIA is sometimes referred to by other terms, for example, a “privacy review” or a “data protection
impact assessment”. These particular instances of a PIA can come with specific implications for both process and
reporting.
A PIA has often been described as an early warning system. It provides a way to detect potential privacy
risks arising from the processing of PII and thereby informing an organization of where they should take
precautions and build tailored safeguards before, not after, the organization makes heavy investments.
The costs of amending a project at the planning stage is usually a fraction of those incurred later on.
If the privacy impact is unacceptable, the project can even have to be cancelled altogether. Thus, a PIA
helps to identify privacy issues early and/or to reduce costs in management time, legal expenses and
potential media or public concern by considering privacy issues early. It can also help an organization
to avoid costly or embarrassing privacy mistakes.
Although a PIA should be more than simply a compliance check, it does nevertheless contribute to an
organization’s demonstration of its compliance with relevant privacy and data protection requirements
in the event of a subsequent complaint, privacy audit or compliance investigation. In the event of
a privacy risk or breach occurring, the PIA report can provide evidence that the organization acted
appropriately in attempting to prevent the occurrence. This can help to reduce or even eliminate any
liability, negative publicity and loss of reputation.
An appropriate PIA also demonstrates to an organization’s customers and/or citizens that it respects
their privacy and is responsive to their concerns. Customers or citizens are more likely to trust an
organization that performs a PIA than one that does not.
A PIA enhances informed decision-making and exposes internal communication gaps or hidden
assumptions on privacy issues about the project. A PIA is a tool to undertake the systematic analysis of
privacy issues arising from a project in order to inform decision makers. A PIA can be a credible source
of information.
A PIA enables an organization to learn about the privacy pitfalls of a process, information system or
programme upfront, rather than having its auditors or competitors point them out. A PIA assists in
anticipating and responding to the public’s privacy concerns.
A PIA can help an organization gain the public’s trust and confidence that privacy has been built into
the design of a process, information system or programme.
Trust is built on transparency, and a PIA is a disciplined process that promotes open communications,
common understanding and transparency. An organization that undertakes a PIA demonstrates to its
employees and contractors that it takes privacy seriously and expects them that they do too. A PIA is a
way of educating employees about privacy and making them alert to privacy problems that can damage
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© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved
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ISO/IEC FDIS 29134:2023(E)
the organization. It is a way to affirm the organizatio
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