Legal controls refer to which of the following?

Legal controls are primarily concerned with ensuring compliance with laws and regulations that govern various aspects of data protection, privacy, and security within a cloud environment. This includes understanding and adhering to legal frameworks such as GDPR, HIPAA, and others that mandate certain behaviors and practices regarding data handling.

The focus of legal controls is on aligning organizational practices with these legal requirements, thus ensuring that the organization avoids legal penalties, protects its reputation, and maintains customer trust. These controls often dictate how data should be managed, stored, and protected, which is critical in a cloud environment where data may be accessed and processed in various jurisdictions with differing legal requirements.

In contrast, standards and frameworks like ISO 27001, NIST 800-53r4, and PCI DSS define specific security controls, best practices, and assessment methodologies without inherently focusing solely on legal obligations. While they may facilitate compliance with legal requirements, they do not expressly define legal controls themselves.