Data Classification Under GDPR — Complete Guide 2026 | ClauseOps

Q: What are GDPR special categories of personal data?

GDPR Article 9 defines special categories as: racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data for identification, health data, and data concerning sex life or sexual orientation. These require explicit consent and enhanced protection.

Q: How do you implement data classification in AWS?

Use AWS resource tags to mark classification levels, enforce tagging policies through AWS Organizations, segment databases by classification level, apply different encryption configurations per level, and implement ABAC (attribute-based access control) using classification tags in IAM policies.

Q: Do enterprise contracts require GDPR data classification?

Increasingly yes. Enterprise contracts often require vendors to classify personal data per GDPR categories, apply proportionate protections, maintain a data classification register, and provide evidence of compliance. These obligations go beyond what standard compliance frameworks check.

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Data Classification Under GDPR: How to Categorize and Protect Personal Data

Data classification under GDPR is the process of categorizing personal data by sensitivity level and processing purpose to ensure appropriate protection measures are applied. GDPR doesn't prescribe a specific classification framework, but it mandates that data protection measures must be…