Back in July, the team had an important announcement on cloud security that may have flown under the radar for many of us. Microsoft had registered CRM Online with the Cloud Security Alliances' STAR (Security, Trust, & Assurance Registry) program. That's a mouthful. Translation: Dynamics CRM Online has met certain data security and privacy standards, as well as being aligned with the overall STAR framework, which encompasses areas such as facilities security, data governance, and even regulatory obligations.
The key point is that, as companies move their data to the cloud, there needs to be minimal standards on what constitutes a secure environment. Programs such as STAR are very open and transparent about what they are providing. .
In other words, if you decide to let Microsoft host your , then you're on the right path towards better data security and data protection.
There is a “but”.
For those companies that are concerned about actual regulatory nuts-and-bolts – HIPAA, GLBA, or the European Union Data Protection Directive – the STAR does some of the work for you, but you'll still have to implement your own best practices.
Many of the privacy protection laws, which are of special relevance to MS CRM Online, still require you to be careful with how you treat records containing name, address, and phone number information. Many US and European privacy laws distinguish between a “data processor” – in this case Microsoft – and the “data owner” – which is your company.
Bottom line: you can't completely outsource privacy and data security as a data owner.
MIG & CO. – MIG is a Professional Consulting Firm that specializes in the implementation of business management software solutions including Microsoft Dynamics GP, SL and CRM. We automate business processes to ensure our customers work efficiently. A , primarily serving New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
