✅ GDPR Compliance Checklist for International File Transfer & Cloud Storage SaaS Platforms (filesgr.gr)

Ensuring full compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is essential for any SaaS platform that processes personal data — especially one operating across borders and handling file uploads and cloud storage, such as filesgr.gr.

This comprehensive checklist helps guide your platform toward GDPR compliance. It can serve as both an internal roadmap and a transparency document to publish on your website for building user trust.

🔒 1. Define Your Role: Controller or Processor?

First, clearly define your platform’s legal role:

• If you provide services to businesses (B2B), you act as a Processor.

• If you collect data directly from individual users (emails, IPs, uploaded files), you're also a Controller.

➡️ Note: filesgr.gr operates as both, depending on user context.

➡️ Tip: Provide a dedicated Data Processing Agreement (DPA) for B2B clients.

📄 2. Transparent Privacy Policy

Your Privacy Policy must be:

• Clear and user-friendly (no legalese).

• Fully compliant with Articles 13 & 14 of the GDPR.

• Updated with information about cookies, analytics tools, and third-party vendors.

Your privacy policy should include:

• What personal data you collect (email, IP, browser data, file metadata).

• Why and how you use that data.

• Retention periods.

• Who you share it with (e.g., AWS, Cloudflare, Sendgrid).

• How users can update or delete their data.

➡️ SEO Tip: Use structured data for PrivacyPolicy and semantic HTML for accessibility.

✅ 3. Valid Consent Collection

Under GDPR, consent must be explicit and informed, especially for:

• Cookies

• Marketing communications

• Analytics and third-party services (like Google Analytics)

You must use a clear Cookie Consent Banner that allows granular control — e.g. “Essential / Preferences / Statistics / Marketing” — with no pre-checked boxes.

➡️ Recommended tools: Cookiebot, Osano, Usercentrics

🔐 4. Security by Design & Default

GDPR requires SaaS platforms to build security into their system architecture.

filesgr.gr should implement:

• Encryption at rest and in transit (e.g., TLS 1.3, AES-256)

• 2FA or MFA for users and admin dashboards

• Role-Based Access Controls (RBAC)

• Password hashing (e.g., bcrypt)

• Audit logs and anomaly detection

➡️ Pro Tip: Publish a dedicated Security page outlining these protections for transparency and SEO trust signals.

🧾 5. Records of Processing Activities (ROPA)

As per Article 30 of the GDPR, platforms must maintain internal records describing:

• What personal data is processed.

• Data sources.

• Third-party data transfers.

• Storage location.

• Retention and deletion schedules.

➡️ Use tools like OneTrust, TrustArc, or VeraSafe to manage ROPA documentation and generate compliance reports.

🌍 6. International Users & Data Transfers Outside the EU

If you serve users from the US, UK, or other non-EU countries:

• Use Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) for all data processors outside the EU (e.g., AWS in the US).

• If participating in the EU–US Data Privacy Framework, state this clearly in your privacy policy.

• Inform users of their rights regardless of location.

➡️ Suggestion: Add an “International Data Transfers” section to your site with transparent details.

🧠 7. Data Subject Rights Support

Your platform must support user rights under GDPR:

• Right of access (Article 15)

• Right to rectification

• Right to erasure (“right to be forgotten”)

• Right to data portability

• Right to object to automated decision-making

➡️ Add a “Privacy Center” or a “Data Request Form” on your site so users can easily submit requests and get responses within 30 days.

📢 8. Data Breach Response Plan

GDPR requires data breach notifications to regulators within 72 hours.

You must have:

• Monitoring and alerting tools for detecting breaches.

• An internal communication plan.

• Prepared templates for notifying affected users.

• A breach logbook for documentation.

➡️ Be transparent: Mention your breach procedures on your Security or Compliance pages.

🔧 9. Data Retention Policy

Define how long user data is stored and when it is deleted.

• Set expiration rules for inactive or expired accounts/files.

• Automatically delete data after a defined period.

• Document legal or contractual exceptions.

➡️ Tip: Create a public-facing Data Retention & Deletion Policy page on filesgr.gr.

📬 10. Sub-Processors & Third-Party Vendors

If you use third-party services that process personal data, list them transparently.

Here’s an example table for filesgr.gr:

AWS for Cloud hosting at  Ireland / USA

Cloudflare for CDN & DDoS Protection at Global

SendGrid for Transactional Email at USA

Stripe / PayPal for Payment Processing at EU / USA

➡️ Add a Sub-Processors Disclosure page and update it regularly.

🧾 11. Employee Awareness & GDPR Training

If you have a team or handle user data internally:

• Train all staff on GDPR principles and your privacy policy.

• Ensure secure communication and device hygiene.

• Limit access to user data only to what is strictly necessary.

➡️ Highlight these procedures in your Security FAQ to build trust with users.

🌐 12. Ongoing Monitoring & Policy Updates

GDPR compliance is not a one-time setup. It requires continuous monitoring:

• Review policies and documentation every 12 months.

• Run periodic penetration tests and security audits.

• Re-evaluate sub-processors and vendors.

• Keep privacy policy, DPA, and terms of service updated.

➡️ Internally, maintain a GDPR Compliance Calendar for regular reviews.

📌 Conclusion

GDPR compliance is more than just a legal requirement — it’s a business advantage. For a SaaS platform like filesgr.gr, protecting user data builds trust, reputation, and global compatibility.

By following this checklist, implementing the right tools, and documenting your practices, you can achieve — and showcase — full GDPR compliance.