Data Encryption

Data Encryption and Handling Sensitive Information

What is Sensitive or Highly Sensitive information?

• Sensitive data is defined as “personal” data in the Data Protection Acts. It includes data relating to a living individual who is or can be identified either from the data or from the data in conjunction with other information.
  
  
• Highly Sensitive Data is defined as “sensitive personal” data in the Data Protection Acts and includes :-
  • the racial or ethnic origin, the political opinions or the religious or philosophical beliefs of the data subject 
  • whether the data subject is a member of a trade-union
  • the physical or mental health or condition or sexual life of the data subject
  • the commission or alleged commission of any offence by the data subject
  • any proceedings for an offence committed or alleged to have been committed by the data subject
  
  
• The following data would be deemed to be highly sensitive in the University context:-
  • Student and staff records, counselling records, exam scripts, assessment results and reports (broadsheets,
  coursework etc.), material relating to interview boards and tenders.

Protection of Sensitive Data

Data Encryption