Compliance & trust
UAE PDPL & Dubai data protection compliance
What UAE PDPL (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021) means for Dubai businesses — lawful bases, transfers, security measures, and how Mignet implements them.
Quick answer
UAE PDPL (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021) requires Dubai businesses that process personal data to have a lawful basis, honour data-subject rights, secure the data and restrict overseas transfers. Mignet implements the technical measures — encryption, access control, DLP, backups, logging — and helps you evidence them.
Key takeaways
- PDPL applies to most UAE companies processing personal data of residents
- Security measures must be appropriate — MFA, encryption, DLP, backups
- Know where data lives (UAE vs overseas Microsoft regions)
- Incident notification and records of processing are operational, not legal-only
Who PDPL applies to in Dubai
If you employ people, take customer emails, run CCTV, or use a CRM, you process personal data. Controllers established in the UAE — and some extra-territorial processors targeting UAE residents — fall in scope. Free-zone regimes (DIFC, ADGM) have their own laws that sit alongside, not instead of, good security practice.
This page is operational guidance, not legal advice. Pair it with counsel; Mignet covers the technology.
Technical measures we implement
PDPL asks for appropriate technical and organisational measures. In practice for a Dubai SME that means: MFA on every mailbox, encryption at rest, DLP on email and USB, role-based access, admin logging, tested backups, and a written incident playbook.
- Microsoft 365 retention & eDiscovery holds
- Named Data Protection contact in the AMC
- Vendor DPAs for cloud and backup
How Mignet helps you stay compliant
We run a PDPL-oriented IT audit, close the control gaps inside your AMC, and produce the evidence pack (access reviews, backup tests, incident log) your auditor or customer will ask for. Legal opinions stay with your counsel; the controls stay with us.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does PDPL replace DIFC data protection?
No. DIFC entities follow DIFC Law No. 5 of 2021 (as amended). Mainland and other free-zone entities look to federal PDPL. Many groups need both. See our DIFC page.
Can Microsoft 365 stay in UAE data centres?
Multi-geo and residency options exist; we design the tenant so mailbox and SharePoint data land where your policy requires, and we document the residual transfers (support, telemetry).
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