Who is the entity held accountable for the protection of data under their control?

The entity that holds accountability for the protection of data within their control is the data owner. The data owner is typically responsible for defining data security policies, determining who has access to the data, and ensuring that it is adequately protected throughout its lifecycle. This responsibility encompasses the implementation of regulatory compliance, risk management strategies, and the proper classification of data to prevent unauthorized access or breaches.

In contrast, the other roles, such as the data retention officer, data classification manager, and data destruction supervisor, play supportive or specialized roles in managing data. The data retention officer focuses on how long data should be held and when it should be discarded, while the data classification manager is responsible for organizing and categorizing data based on its sensitivity and importance. The data destruction supervisor handles the appropriate methods of disposing of data to ensure it is irrecoverable. While these roles are important in overall data management, they do not carry the primary accountability for the protection of data, which resides with the data owner.