The IRB application has a section that requires investigators to address data collection and how these data will be protected and stored. Encrypting electronic data may not be enough, as The Research Ethics Blog advises.
IRB applications need to address where are the data being stored and how are the data being stored.
The investigator's strategy and protection plan have to be stated for the IRB to evaluate. Also, the consent process has to include this as well.
See http://www.researchethics.ca/blog/2010/01/privacy-of-data-is-ongoing-concern.html for more details and contact HARPO with any questions.
Showing posts with label security. Show all posts
Showing posts with label security. Show all posts
25 January 2010
04 November 2008
Keep your data (and computer) safe
Words of advice from the Office of Information Technology
Securing Your Laptop Against Physical Theft
Theft of laptops, desktop computers, computer parts and peripherals is a growing problem. According to insurance company figures, there is a 1 in 14 chance of a PC owner being victimized. If you lose your computer, or any part of its system, you've lost more than the cost of the laptop. You have lost your data. The hardware can be replaced, but the loss of work in progress could be devastating.
Click on this link for more information.
People who volunteer to participate in research do so with the understanding that investigators will protect their identity and their information from inadvertent and inappropriate disclosure.
So treat collected data just like your laptop to keep safe and secure. A few helpful tips:
1) train research staff on the proper methods of keeping data secure.
2) de-identify data when saved on the laptop - this means stripping all personal identifiers from the saved data.
3) if the research requires that identifiers be kept, save your data to a removable medium (i.e. external hard drive) and secure that drive under lock and key. You may wish to use an identity key to match various data sets; if so, secure that key as well.
4) sensitive data may be secured using data encryption - the algorithmic transformation of data into an unrecognizable format that can only be recovered using a secret decryption key.
Securing Your Laptop Against Physical Theft
Theft of laptops, desktop computers, computer parts and peripherals is a growing problem. According to insurance company figures, there is a 1 in 14 chance of a PC owner being victimized. If you lose your computer, or any part of its system, you've lost more than the cost of the laptop. You have lost your data. The hardware can be replaced, but the loss of work in progress could be devastating.
Click on this link for more information.
People who volunteer to participate in research do so with the understanding that investigators will protect their identity and their information from inadvertent and inappropriate disclosure.
So treat collected data just like your laptop to keep safe and secure. A few helpful tips:
1) train research staff on the proper methods of keeping data secure.
2) de-identify data when saved on the laptop - this means stripping all personal identifiers from the saved data.
3) if the research requires that identifiers be kept, save your data to a removable medium (i.e. external hard drive) and secure that drive under lock and key. You may wish to use an identity key to match various data sets; if so, secure that key as well.
4) sensitive data may be secured using data encryption - the algorithmic transformation of data into an unrecognizable format that can only be recovered using a secret decryption key.
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