PECB GDPR Practice Exams
Last updated on Oct 22,2026- Exam Code: GDPR
- Exam Name: PECB Certified Data Protection Officer
- Certification Provider: PECB
- Latest update: Oct 22,2026
Scenario 5:
Recpond is a German employment recruiting company. Their services are delivered globally and include consulting and staffing solutions. In the beginning. Recpond provided its services through an office in Germany. Today, they have grown to become one of the largest recruiting agencies, providing employment to more than 500,000 people around the world. Recpond receives most applications through its website. Job searchers are required to provide the job title and location. Then, a list of job opportunities is provided. When a job position is selected, candidates are required to provide their contact details and professional work experience records. During the process, they are informed that the information will be used only for the purposes and period determined by Recpond. Recpond’s experts analyze candidates’ profiles and applications and choose the candidates that are suitable for the job position. The list of the selected candidates is then delivered to Recpond’s clients, who proceed with the recruitment process. Files of candidates that are not selected are stored in Recpond’s databases, including the personal data of candidates who withdraw the consent on which the processing was based. When the GDPR came into force, the company was unprepared. The top management appointed a DPO and consulted him for all data protection issues. The DPO, on the other hand, reported the progress of all data protection activities to the top management. Considering the level of sensitivity of the personal data processed by Recpond, the DPO did not have direct access to the personal data of all clients, unless the top management deemed it necessary. The DPO planned the GDPR implementation by initially analyzing the applicable GDPR requirements. Recpond, on the other hand, initiated a risk assessment to understand the risks associated with processing operations. The risk assessment was conducted based on common risks that employment recruiting companies face. After analyzing different risk scenarios, the level of risk was determined and evaluated. The results were presented to the DPO, who then decided to analyze only the risks that have a greater impact on the company. The DPO concluded that the cost required for treating most of the identified risks was higher than simply accepting them. Based on this analysis, the DPO decided to accept the actual level of the identified risks. After reviewing policies and procedures of the company. Recpond established a new data protection policy. As proposed by the DPO, the information security policy was also updated. These changes were then communicated to all employees of Recpond. Based on this scenario, answer the following Question:
Question:
Which statement regarding the material scope of the GDPR is incorrect?
- A . The GDPR applies to the processing of personal data wholly or partly by automated means.
- B . The GDPR applies to the processing of personal data in the course of an activity that falls outside the scope of Union law.
- C . The GDPR does not apply to the processing of personal data by Member States when carrying out activities that fall within the scope of the Treaty on European Union (TEU).
- D . The GDPR applies to the processing of personal data by a company established in the EEA, even if the data subjects are located outside the EEA.
B
Explanation:
The material scope of the GDPR is outlined in Article 2. It applies to the processing of personal data by automated means and to non-automated processing if the data is part of a filing system. The GDPR does not apply to activities outside the scope of Union law, such as national security activities, which are excluded under Recital 16.
Option B is correct because the GDPR does not apply to activities falling outside the scope of Union law, such as law enforcement operations covered by the Law Enforcement Directive (EU 2016/680).
Option A is incorrect because automated processing is explicitly covered by GDPR.
Option C is incorrect because data processing by Member States under TEU (e.g., national security and defense) is excluded.
Option D is incorrect because GDPR applies to controllers/processors established in the EEA, even if data subjects are outside the EEA (Article 3(1)).
Reference: GDPR Article 2(2)(a) (Exclusion of activities outside EU law)
GDPR Article 3(1) (Territorial scope)
Recital 16 (GDPR does not apply to national security)
Scenario:
PickFood is an online food delivery service that allows customers to order food online and pay by credit card. The payment service is provided by PaySmart, which processes the transactions.
Question:
According to Article 30 of GDPR, what type of information should PaySmart NOT maintain when recording online transaction processing activity?
- A . The general description of technical data protection measures.
- B . The expected time for personal data erasure.
- C . Transfers of personal data to third-party payment processors.
- D . A list of customers’ transaction amounts and items purchased.
D
Explanation:
Under Article 30(1) of GDPR, controllers and processors must document details such as data processing purposes, categories of data subjects, and security measures, but do not need to store detailed transaction amounts or items purchased unless required for compliance.
Option D is correct because detailed transactional information is not a mandatory requirement in the processing records.
Option A is incorrect because security measures must be documented.
Option B is incorrect because data retention periods must be included in records.
Option C is incorrect because cross-border data transfers must be documented.
Reference: GDPR Article 30(1)(f) (Controllers must document data transfers)
Recital 82 (Record-keeping requirements for accountability)
When pseudonymization is used in a dataset, the data is divided into restricted access data and non-identifiable data. This restricted access data includes gender, occupation, and age, whereas the non-identifiable data includes only nationality. Is this correct?
- A . Yes, when pseudonymization is used, non-identifiable data includes only nationality, whereas restricted access data includes gender, occupation, and age
- B . No, non-identifiable data includes gender, nationality, and occupation, whereas restricted access data includes first name, last name, and age, among others
- C . No, only anonymization can be used to divide a dataset into restricted access data and non-identifiable data
B
Explanation:
Pseudonymization does not remove data identifiability but rather reduces the direct link to an individual (GDPR Article 4(5)). Non-identifiable data includes attributes like gender and occupation, whereas restricted access data includes directly identifying details such as names. Anonymization, not pseudonymization, ensures complete irreversibility.
Scenario 3:
COR Bank is an international banking group that operates in 31 countries. It was formed as the merger of two well-known investment banks in Germany. Their two main fields of business are retail and investment banking. COR Bank provides innovative solutions for services such as payments, cash management, savings, protection insurance, and real-estate services. COR Bank has a large number of clients and transactions. Therefore, they process large information, including clients’ personal data. Some of the data from the application processes of COR Bank, including archived data, is operated by Tibko, an IT services company located in Canada. To ensure compliance with the GDPR, COR Bank and Tibko have reached a data processing agreement Based on the agreement, the purpose and conditions of data processing are determined by COR Bank. However, Tibko is allowed to make technical decisions for storing the data based on its own expertise. COR Bank aims to remain a trustworthy bank and a long-term partner for its clients. Therefore, they devote special attention to legal compliance. They started the implementation process of a GDPR compliance program in 2018. The first step was to analyze the existing resources and procedures. Lisa was appointed as the data protection officer (DPO). Being the information security manager of COR Bank for many years, Lisa had knowledge of the organization’s core activities. She was previously involved in most of the processes related to information systems management and data protection. Lisa played a key role in achieving compliance to the GDPR by advising the company regarding data protection obligations and creating a data protection strategy. After obtaining evidence of the existing data protection policy, Lisa proposed to adapt the policy to specific requirements of GDPR. Then, Lisa implemented the updates of the policy within COR Bank. To ensure consistency between processes of different departments within the organization, Lisa has constantly communicated with all heads of GDPR. Then, Lisa implemented the updates of the policy within COR Bank. To ensure consistency between processes of different departments within the organization, Lisa has constantly communicated with all heads of departments. As the DPO, she had access to several departments, including HR and Accounting Department. This assured the organization that there was a continuous cooperation between them. The activities of some departments within COR Bank are closely related to data protection. Therefore, considering their expertise, Lisa was advised from the top management to take orders from the heads of those departments when taking decisions related to their field. Based on this scenario, answer the following Question:
Question:
According to scenario 3, Tibko stores archived data on behalf of COR Bank. This means that Tibko is a:
- A . Data controller, since they control some of the data from the application processes of COR Bank.
- B . Data processor, since they store COR Bank’s data based on the purpose and conditions defined by COR Bank.
- C . Joint controller with COR Bank, since they archive COR Bank’s data and take technical decisions regarding data protection.
- D . Independent controller, since Tibko handles data security and storage.
B
Explanation:
Under Article 4(8) of GDPR, a data processor processes personal data on behalf of a controller and does not determine the purpose of processing. Tibko only stores and manages data but does not decide why it is processed.
Option B is correct because Tibko acts as a processor for COR Bank.
Option A is incorrect because Tibko does not determine data processing purposes.
Option C is incorrect because joint controllers must jointly decide on processing purposes.
Option D is incorrect because Tibko does not act as an independent controller.
Reference: GDPR Article 4(8) (Definition of a processor)
GDPR Article 28 (Processor obligations)
Scenario 4:
Berc is a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Paris, France, known for developing inexpensive improved healthcare products. They want to expand to developing life-saving treatments. Berc has been engaged in many medical researches and clinical trials over the years. These projects required the processing of large amounts of data, including personal information. Since 2019, Berc has pursued GDPR compliance to regulate data processing activities and ensure data protection. Berc aims to positively impact human health through the use of technology and the power of collaboration. They recently have created an innovative solution in participation with Unty, a pharmaceutical company located in Switzerland. They want to enable patients to identify signs of strokes or other health-related issues themselves. They wanted to create a medical wrist device that continuously monitors patients’ heart rate and notifies them about irregular heartbeats. The first step of the project was to collect information from individuals aged between 50 and 65. The purpose and means of processing were determined by both companies. The information collected included age, sex, ethnicity, medical history, and current medical status. Other information included names, dates of birth, and contact details. However, the individuals, who were mostly Berc’s and Unty’s customers, were not aware that there was an arrangement between Berc and Unty and that both companies have access to their personal data and share it between them. Berc outsourced the marketing of their new product to an international marketing company located in a country that had not adopted the adequacy decision from the EU commission. However, since they offered a good marketing campaign, following the DPO’s advice, Berc contracted it. The marketing campaign included advertisement through telephone, emails, and social media. Berc requested that Berc’s and Unty’s clients be first informed about the product. They shared the contact details of clients with the marketing company. Based on this scenario, answer the following Question:
Question:
Based on scenario 4, to which of the companies can data subjects exercise their rights under GDPR?
- A . Data subjects may exercise their rights against both Berc and Unty, regardless of the terms of the arrangement.
- B . Data subjects may exercise their rights against only one of the controllers, as specified in the arrangement.
- C . Data subjects may exercise their rights against Berc only because it decided to implement GDPR for data processing activities.
- D . None of the above.
A
Explanation:
Reference: GDPR Article 26(3) (Joint controllers must ensure data subjects can exercise their rights).
Scenario: 2
Soyled is a retail company that sells a wide range of electronic products from top European brands. It primarily sells its products in its online platforms (which include customer reviews and ratings), despite using physical stores since 2015. Soyled’s website and mobile app are used by millions of customers. Soyled has employed various solutions to create a customer-focused ecosystem and facilitate growth. Soyled uses customer relationship management (CRM) software to analyze user data and administer the interaction with customers. The software allows the company to store customer information, identify sales opportunities, and manage marketing campaigns. It automatically obtains information about each user’s IP address and web browser cookies. Soyled also uses the software to collect behavioral data, such as users’ repeated actions and mouse movement information. Customers must create an account to buy from Soyled’s online platforms. To do so, they fill out a standard sign-up form of three mandatory boxes (name, surname, email address) and a non-mandatory one (phone number). When the user clicks the email address box, a pop-up message appears as follows: “Soyled needs your email address to grant you access to your account and contact you about any changes related to your account and our website. For further information, please read our privacy policy.’ When the user clicks the phone number box, the following message appears: “Soyled may use your phone number to provide text updates on the order status. The phone number may also be used by the shipping courier." Once the personal data is provided, customers create a username and password, which are used to access Soyled’s website or app. When customers want to make a purchase, they are also required to provide their bank account details. When the user finally creates the account, the following message appears: “Soyled collects only the personal data it needs for the following purposes: processing orders, managing accounts, and personalizing customers’ experience. The collected data is shared with our network and used for marketing purposes." Soyled uses personal data to promote sales and its brand. If a user decides to close the account, the personal data is still used for marketing purposes only. Last month, the company received an email from John, a customer, claiming that his personal data was being used for purposes other than those specified by the company. According to the email, Soyled was using the data for direct marketing purposes. John requested details on how his personal data was collected, stored, and processed. Based on this scenario, answer the following Question:
Question:
Based on scenario 2, is John’s request eligible under GDPR?
- A . No, data subjects can request access to how their data is being collected but not details about its processing or storage.
- B . No, data subjects are not eligible to request details on the collection, storage, or processing of their personal data.
- C . Yes, data subjects have the right to request details on how their personal data is collected, stored, and processed.
- D . No, because John’s data was collected based on legitimate interest.
C
Explanation:
Under Article 15 of GDPR, the Right of Access allows data subjects to request detailed information about:
The purpose of data processing
Categories of personal data collected
Data recipients
Storage duration
Rights to rectification and erasure
John’s request is valid under GDPR, making Option C correct.
Option A is incorrect because GDPR grants full transparency.
Option B is incorrect because data subjects must be informed upon request.
Option D is incorrect because lawful basis does not override access rights.
Reference: GDPR Article 15 (Right of Access)
Recital 63 (Transparency in personal data processing)
Scenario: 2
Soyled is a retail company that sells a wide range of electronic products from top European brands. It primarily sells its products in its online platforms (which include customer reviews and ratings), despite using physical stores since 2015. Soyled’s website and mobile app are used by millions of customers. Soyled has employed various solutions to create a customer-focused ecosystem and facilitate growth. Soyled uses customer relationship management (CRM) software to analyze user data and administer the interaction with customers. The software allows the company to store customer information, identify sales opportunities, and manage marketing campaigns. It automatically obtains information about each user’s IP address and web browser cookies. Soyled also uses the software to collect behavioral data, such as users’ repeated actions and mouse movement information. Customers must create an account to buy from Soyled’s online platforms. To do so, they fill out a standard sign-up form of three mandatory boxes (name, surname, email address) and a non-mandatory one (phone number). When the user clicks the email address box, a pop-up message appears as follows: “Soyled needs your email address to grant you access to your account and contact you about any changes related to your account and our website. For further information, please read our privacy policy.’ When the user clicks the phone number box, the following message appears: “Soyled may use your phone number to provide text updates on the order status. The phone number may also be used by the shipping courier." Once the personal data is provided, customers create a username and password, which are used to access Soyled’s website or app. When customers want to make a purchase, they are also required to provide their bank account details. When the user finally creates the account, the following message appears: “Soyled collects only the personal data it needs for the following purposes: processing orders, managing accounts, and personalizing customers’ experience. The collected data is shared with our network and used for marketing purposes." Soyled uses personal data to promote sales and its brand. If a user decides to close the account, the personal data is still used for marketing purposes only. Last month, the company received an email from John, a customer, claiming that his personal data was being used for purposes other than those specified by the company. According to the email, Soyled was using the data for direct marketing purposes. John requested details on how his personal data was collected, stored, and processed. Based on this scenario, answer the following Question:
Question:
Based on scenario 2, is John’s request eligible under GDPR?
- A . No, data subjects can request access to how their data is being collected but not details about its processing or storage.
- B . No, data subjects are not eligible to request details on the collection, storage, or processing of their personal data.
- C . Yes, data subjects have the right to request details on how their personal data is collected, stored, and processed.
- D . No, because John’s data was collected based on legitimate interest.
C
Explanation:
Under Article 15 of GDPR, the Right of Access allows data subjects to request detailed information about:
The purpose of data processing
Categories of personal data collected
Data recipients
Storage duration
Rights to rectification and erasure
John’s request is valid under GDPR, making Option C correct.
Option A is incorrect because GDPR grants full transparency.
Option B is incorrect because data subjects must be informed upon request.
Option D is incorrect because lawful basis does not override access rights.
Reference: GDPR Article 15 (Right of Access)
Recital 63 (Transparency in personal data processing)
Scenario: 2
Soyled is a retail company that sells a wide range of electronic products from top European brands. It primarily sells its products in its online platforms (which include customer reviews and ratings), despite using physical stores since 2015. Soyled’s website and mobile app are used by millions of customers. Soyled has employed various solutions to create a customer-focused ecosystem and facilitate growth. Soyled uses customer relationship management (CRM) software to analyze user data and administer the interaction with customers. The software allows the company to store customer information, identify sales opportunities, and manage marketing campaigns. It automatically obtains information about each user’s IP address and web browser cookies. Soyled also uses the software to collect behavioral data, such as users’ repeated actions and mouse movement information. Customers must create an account to buy from Soyled’s online platforms. To do so, they fill out a standard sign-up form of three mandatory boxes (name, surname, email address) and a non-mandatory one (phone number). When the user clicks the email address box, a pop-up message appears as follows: “Soyled needs your email address to grant you access to your account and contact you about any changes related to your account and our website. For further information, please read our privacy policy.’ When the user clicks the phone number box, the following message appears: “Soyled may use your phone number to provide text updates on the order status. The phone number may also be used by the shipping courier." Once the personal data is provided, customers create a username and password, which are used to access Soyled’s website or app. When customers want to make a purchase, they are also required to provide their bank account details. When the user finally creates the account, the following message appears: “Soyled collects only the personal data it needs for the following purposes: processing orders, managing accounts, and personalizing customers’ experience. The collected data is shared with our network and used for marketing purposes." Soyled uses personal data to promote sales and its brand. If a user decides to close the account, the personal data is still used for marketing purposes only. Last month, the company received an email from John, a customer, claiming that his personal data was being used for purposes other than those specified by the company. According to the email, Soyled was using the data for direct marketing purposes. John requested details on how his personal data was collected, stored, and processed. Based on this scenario, answer the following Question:
Question:
The GDPR indicates that the processing of personal data should be based on a legal contract with the data subject.
Based on scenario 6, has Soyled fulfilled this requirement?
- A . Yes, data subjects are informed about the purpose of collecting the email address and phone number before the data is collected.
- B . Yes, once the account is created, Soyled informs its customers that their personal data will be shared with the network.
- C . No, data subjects are informed that the personal data will be shared with Soyled’s network only after the personal data is collected.
- D . No, because Soyled did not obtain explicit consent for data processing.
C
Explanation:
Under Article 6(1) of GDPR, processing personal data must have a lawful basis, such as consent,
contract, legal obligation, or legitimate interest. Additionally, under Article 13, controllers must inform users before collecting their data.
Soyled failed to disclose that personal data would be shared with the network before collection, which violates GDPR transparency requirements.
Option C is correct.
Option A is incorrect because informing about email collection does not mean lawful processing.
Option B is incorrect because the information was not disclosed at the right time.
Option D is incorrect because explicit consent is not necessarily required if another lawful basis applies.
Reference: GDPR Article 6(1) (Lawfulness of processing)
GDPR Article 13(1) (Transparency in data processing)
Scenario:
Bankbio is a financial institution that handles personal data of its customers. Its data processing activities involve processing that is necessary for the legitimate interests pursued by the institution. In such cases, Bankbio processes personal data without obtaining consent from data subjects.
Question:
Is the data processing lawful under GDPR?
- A . Yes, processing is lawful when it is necessary for the legitimate interests pursued by the controller, except where such interests are overridden by the interests of fundamental rights.
- B . No, the processing is lawful only if the data subject has given explicit consent to the processing of personal data for the specified purpose.
- C . Yes, GDPR allows the processing of personal data for the legitimate interest pursued by the controller or by a third party in all cases.
- D . No, financial institutions must always obtain explicit consent before processing personal data.
A
Explanation:
Under Article 6(1)(f) of GDPR, processing is lawful if it is necessary for the legitimate interests of the controller, unless overridden by the data subject’s rights and freedoms.
Option A is correct because legitimate interest is a valid legal basis for processing under GDPR.
Option B is incorrect because explicit consent is not required if another legal basis (such as legitimate
interest) applies.
Option C is incorrect because legitimate interest does not apply in all cases―the rights of the data subject may override it.
Option D is incorrect because financial institutions are not required to obtain explicit consent for all processing activities.
Reference: GDPR Article 6(1)(f) (Legitimate interest as a lawful basis)
Recital 47 (Legitimate interest includes preventing fraud and ensuring security)
Scenario 5:
Recpond is a German employment recruiting company. Their services are delivered globally and include consulting and staffing solutions. In the beginning. Recpond provided its services through an office in Germany. Today, they have grown to become one of the largest recruiting agencies, providing employment to more than 500,000 people around the world. Recpond receives most applications through its website. Job searchers are required to provide the job title and location. Then, a list of job opportunities is provided. When a job position is selected, candidates are required to provide their contact details and professional work experience records. During the process, they are informed that the information will be used only for the purposes and period determined by Recpond. Recpond’s experts analyze candidates’ profiles and applications and choose the candidates that are suitable for the job position. The list of the selected candidates is then delivered to Recpond’s clients, who proceed with the recruitment process. Files of candidates that are not selected are stored in Recpond’s databases, including the personal data of candidates who withdraw the consent on which the processing was based. When the GDPR came into force, the company was unprepared. The top management appointed a DPO and consulted him for all data protection issues. The DPO, on the other hand, reported the progress of all data protection activities to the top management. Considering the level of sensitivity of the personal data processed by Recpond, the DPO did not have direct access to the personal data of all clients, unless the top management deemed it necessary. The DPO planned the GDPR implementation by initially analyzing the applicable GDPR requirements. Recpond, on the other hand, initiated a risk assessment to understand the risks associated with processing operations. The risk assessment was conducted based on common risks that employment recruiting companies face. After analyzing different risk scenarios, the level of risk was determined and evaluated. The results were presented to the DPO, who then decided to analyze only the risks that have a greater impact on the company. The DPO concluded that the cost required for treating most of the identified risks was higher than simply accepting them. Based on this analysis, the DPO decided to accept the actual level of the identified risks. After reviewing policies and procedures of the company. Recpond established a new data protection policy. As proposed by the DPO, the information security policy was also updated. These changes were then communicated to all employees of Recpond. Based on this scenario, answer the following Question:
Question:
According to scenario 5, what should Recpond have considered when assessing the risks related to processing operations?
- A . Risks should be identified based on threats and vulnerabilities that the company faces.
- B . Risks should be analyzed using a quantitative approach, since risk scenarios make the evaluation process difficult.
- C . Risks should be assessed based on the risk-based approach adopted by the DPO.
- D . Risks should be assessed only when a supervisory authority requires it.
A
Explanation:
Under Article 32 of GDPR, risk assessments should be based on threats, vulnerabilities, and potential impact on data subjects. Organizations must identify and mitigate risks to personal data security.
Option A is correct because risk identification should consider threats, vulnerabilities, and impact.
Option B is incorrect because risk can be assessed qualitatively or quantitatively, depending on the approach used.
Option C is incorrect because DPOs do not define an organization’s risk-based approach.
Option D is incorrect because risk assessment is mandatory under GDPR, not only when a supervisory authority requests it.
Reference: GDPR Article 32(1) (Risk-based approach to security)
Recital 83 (Risk assessment in data protection)