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Why Encapsulating User Rights Execution into a Microservice is Beneficial
1. Separation of Concerns
- Encapsulation: A separate microservice isolates GDPR-related functions (data access, deletion, consent revocation) from the core user management and data marketplace.
- Simplifies Core Services: The User Management and Data Marketplace services do not need to handle privacy logic directly.
2. Compliance & Auditability
- Logging & Transparency: A dedicated "User Rights Execution Service" can maintain detailed logs of all user requests for compliance purposes.
- Regulatory Readiness: Helps respond quickly to legal updates (e.g., GDPR, CCPA, upcoming EU regulations).
3. Scalability & Performance Optimization
- Independent Scaling: Can scale separately from the main platform (e.g., bulk deletion requests may have different compute needs than real-time authentication).
- Asynchronous Processing: Long-running operations like data deletion can be queued and executed via Azure Service Bus or Event Grid.
4. Security & Trust
- Fine-Grained Access Control: Ensures that only authorized entities can trigger actions like data deletion.
- Zero Trust Principle: Other services should never directly delete user data; instead, they call this service via secured API endpoints.
What This Microservice Should Include
Service Name: User Rights Execution Service
Functions:
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Right to Access (Data Retrieval) | Allows users to request all personal data stored in the system. Aggregates data from different microservices, ensuring a unified export. |
| Right to Be Forgotten (Data Deletion) | Handles secure, irreversible data deletion, ensuring anonymization where necessary. |
| Consent Revocation | Allows users to revoke consent at any time, ensuring that third-party services are notified. |
| Audit Logging | Logs every user rights execution event for compliance and traceability. |
| Asynchronous Processing | Large-scale requests (e.g., deleting all user data) can be queued and executed without blocking system performance. |
| Regulator Access | Provides API endpoints for authorized regulators to monitor GDPR-related actions. |
How It Integrates with the Ecosystem
Interaction with Other Services
| Service | Interaction with User Rights Execution Service |
|---|---|
| User Management | Triggers user deletion or export requests. |
| Data Marketplace | Removes associated user transactions when an account is deleted. |
| Consent Management | Revokes access for third parties when a user withdraws consent. |
| Logging & Compliance | Captures all GDPR requests in Azure Monitor or Log Analytics. |
| Regulatory Auditing | Regulated authorities can query anonymized records via secure API. |
Technology Stack Recommendation (Azure-Based)
| Component | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Azure API Management | Exposes the microservice securely to other ecosystem services. |
| Azure Functions | Implements lightweight API handlers for processing requests. |
| Azure Service Bus / Event Grid | Handles asynchronous processing (e.g., bulk data deletion). |
| Azure Cosmos DB | Stores logs & execution history for compliance. |
| Azure Key Vault | Secures sensitive data and authentication tokens. |
Example Flow: User Requests Data Deletion
- User Initiates Request → Requests account & data deletion in User Portal.
- Microservice Validates Request → Verifies identity and ensures regulatory requirements are met.
- Triggers Asynchronous Processing → Enqueues deletion tasks via Azure Service Bus.
- Executes Deletion Across Ecosystem → Calls APIs for User Management, Data Marketplace, and Consent Services.
- Logs & Notifies User → Sends confirmation email and logs proof of deletion.
Final Thoughts
decoupling user rights execution into a microservice is the right approach:
✔ It ensures modularity and compliance.
✔ It allows independent scaling without affecting the core system.
✔ It enhances security by keeping privacy operations isolated.
✔ It enables future-proofing against evolving regulations.
Overview
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