Why Rule 6 of DPDP Draft Rules 2025 is a Game-Changer for Securing PII Data and How Skyflow Leads the Way

In today’s digital world, personal data powers innovation in personalization and drives business growth. But with that comes an enormous responsibility to safeguard PII Data. Rule 6 of the Draft DPDP Rules 2025 emphasizes this, mandating solid security measures. Let’s break it down and explore how Skyflow’s PII Data Privacy Vault is the perfect solution.

Breaking Down Rule 6: Reasonable Security Safeguards

At its core, Rule 6 provides a detailed guideline and first-principle approach in protecting PII Data. It’s not just about compliance—it’s about accountability and proactively managing risks. Here's what it covers:

1. Encryption and Obfuscation: PII Data needs to be protected using encryption, masking, or obfuscation. These techniques ensure that even if there’s unauthorized access, the PII Data stays unreadable. Virtual tokens add an extra layer by mapping PII Data to non-exploitable references, covering gaps where traditional encryption may fall short.

2. Access Control: Strict access controls ensure only authorized personnel can access PII Data. This is where role-based, policy-based access policies play a key role.

3. Logs and Monitoring: Rule 6 stresses the importance of maintaining logs, real-time monitoring of PII Data activity, and regular reviews to quickly detect and respond to breaches.

4. Backup and Recovery Plans: To avoid loss of PII Data, organizations need strong disaster recovery plans and regular backups. These measures ensure operations can continue even in emergencies.

5. Retention of Logs: PII activity logs must be kept for at least a year to aid investigations and prevent repeat incidents involving PII Data.

6. Contractual Obligations for Data Processors: When organizations share PII Data with third parties (like MarTech platforms), they must ensure these partners follow the same rigorous standards. After all, liability still lies with the primary organization.

7. Technical and Organizational Measures: Policies, training, and fostering a culture of protecting PII Data from the C-executives are just as important.

Why Encryption at Rest is Not/Never Enough

In the Indian context, where data breaches are rising at an alarming rate, traditional encryption at rest is proving insufficient. Encryption only protects data where it resides, leaving it vulnerable during processing or transmission. For example, the BFSI sector, which handles vast amounts of sensitive financial data, has seen breaches due to inadequate safeguards beyond encryption at rest. This highlights the need for a more robust approach—one that isolates, protects data at all times, and governs data comprehensively.

How Skyflow’s PII Data Privacy Vault Solves Rule 6

Skyflow’s PII Data Privacy Vault is purpose-built for isolating, centralizing, protecting, and governing PII Data—perfectly aligning with Rule 6. Think of it as the Aadhaar Data Vault, but for all types of PII Data.

1. Isolation: PII Data is stored in a dedicated vault, logically and physically separated from operational systems. It’s like keeping your precious jewelry in a bank locker even though your house is secure.
2. Centralization: Skyflow centralizes PII Data into one vault, simplifying privacy management (be it consent enforcement, exercising data principal access rights) while reducing the attack surface. It also ensures consistent enforcement of security policies and provides clear observability of all activities on PII
3. Protection: Using patented polymorphic encryption and tokenization, Skyflow ensures PII Data is protected whether at rest, in transit, or in use. Skyflow's virtual tokens replace PII Data in source systems, rendering it meaningless to unauthorized users.
4. Governance: Granular role-based (RBAC) and policy-based (PBAC) controls allow access only on a need-to-know basis and involves a strong zero-trust to PII framework. This ensures that employees see only the PII Data they’re authorized to see.
5. Logging and Monitoring: Skyflow provides detailed audit logs and integrates seamlessly with SIEM tools, offering real-time monitoring and threat detection capabilities.

Why Skyflow Stands Out

Here’s what makes Skyflow more than just a compliance tool:

• Trust Through Isolation: Your customers know their PII Data is safe, building trust and loyalty.
• Proactive Risk Mitigation: Centralized control and monitoring reduce breach risks dramatically.
• Compliance Readiness: Skyflow meets global standards like GDPR and HIPAA, making it easier to operate across regions.
• Operational Efficiency: Simplified PII Data management and strong disaster recovery ensure smooth business operations.

Conclusion

While Skyflow enables organizations at multiple stages of the rules such as Rule 8, Rule 13, I've shared my thoughts on elaborating Rule 6 in this article.

Rule 6 of the DPDP Rules 2025 is a wake-up call for every organization handling PII Data. It’s not just about meeting legal requirements—it’s about building trust, managing risks, and ensuring resilience.

Skyflow’s PII Data Privacy Vault doesn’t just check the boxes—it sets new standards in PII Data privacy and security. By adopting it, you’re not only complying with Rule 6 but also positioning yourself as a leader in safeguarding PII Data.

Secure PII Data, build trust, and drive growth—it’s that simple.