# Compliance and Legal Considerations

Software support and maintenance teams should be aware of applicable laws and regulations and ensure compliance. For example in Rwanda, Government Institutions should comply to the Rwanda Directives on Cyber Security for Network and Information systems and the law on data protection and privacy. In addition Government institutions should follow software guidelines and recommendations provided by RISA.

# Data protection and privacy considerations

The terms data protection and data privacy are often used interchangeably, but there is an important difference between the two. Data privacy defines who has access to data, while data protection provides tools and policies to actually restrict access to the data. Compliance regulations help ensure that user’s privacy requests are carried out by companies, and companies are responsible to take measures to protect private user data.

Software maintenance and support teams should be aware of the requirements of Rwanda’s law on data protection and privacy and ensure compliance.

# Intellectual property rights and licensing obligations

The definition of intellectual property (IP) rights is any and all rights associated with intangible assets owned by a person or company and protected against use without consent. Intangible assets refer to non-physical property, including right of ownership in intellectual property.

Rwanda Intellectual Property law provides the main branches intellectual property: industrial property and copyright. Industrial Property covers Trademarks, Patents, Utility Models, Industrial Designs, Layout Designs and integrated circuits, Geographic Indication and Protection against unfair competition.

In the context of software , Government Institutions should be aware of the IP rights for any software in use and should only use it in accordance with its license. For example the software may be licensed for use by a specific number of users or licensed to only certain institutions. Violation of license requirements may have legal and financial implications to an institute. In addition, use of software that is not properly licensed may expose the organization to risks such as security risks as it may not receive relevant patches and security updates.