Dutch authorities have found that Microsoft’s online and mobile office suit still have some issues to sort out before being compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security recently commissioned Privacy Company, the privacy compliance consultancy, to investigate the privacy risk related to Microsoft’s Windows 10 Enterprise 365 ProPlus and Office Online suite. It was also asked to look into its mobile Office apps. It has now published its findings to the public.
In May 2019, Strategisch Leveranciersmanagement Microsoft Rijk, the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security’s department for dealing with Microsoft, had signed a deal regarding new privacy terms and conditions for 300,000 digital workplaces of the country’s central government. These offices included ministries, the Tax and Customs Administration, the police, the judiciary and independent administrative bodies.
Following the conclusion of these negotiations, Privacy Company was set to task to check that Microsoft’s solutions would be compliant with data privacy regulations.
The consultancy found that Microsoft had dealt with some issues raised prior to this round of investigations. For instance, the tech giant had provided the option to centrally disable the option to send Microsoft data. This meant government officials could mostly use the to Microsoft’s Windows 10 Enterprise 365 ProPlus without fear of information being sent to the Redmond-based software provider.
However, Privacy Company still felt that some of the solutions had some to desire. The consultancy noted no improvements had been made in Office Online and the mobile Office app, which can be installed in smartphones and tablets. There is yet no way of disabling data being sent from online browsers and the mobile solution to the American company in the same way there was an opportunity for the stationary solutions.
As such, Strategisch Leveranciersmanagement Microsoft Rijk advised against government employees using the online options or the mobile Office tools.
The government stated it would continue to negotiate with Microsoft to find a solution for these issues too.
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