Ace the 2025 CIPP/US Challenge – Dominate Your Privacy Practice Test!

The assertion that a data processor is responsible for the legal implications of data breaches is accurate in that it is typically the data controller who bears the primary responsibility for compliance with data protection regulations and any legal consequences resulting from data breaches.

Data controllers are the entities that determine the purposes and means of processing personal data, while data processors act on their behalf. In this relationship, the data controller retains ultimate responsibility for how personal data is handled, including the obligation to ensure that appropriate security measures are in place and that any data processors they engage are compliant with relevant data protection laws.

This distinction is crucial because it underscores the roles and responsibilities within data processing agreements, where the data controller outlines expectations and requirements for the data processor to follow. While data processors must comply with contractual obligations and can be held responsible for breaches resulting from their own negligence or failure to follow instructions, the legal implications of data breaches predominantly fall on the data controller. Therefore, the assertion correctly identifies an aspect that differentiates a data processor from other roles in data protection frameworks.