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Handling Sensitive Data

This guide covers key topics like protecting privacy, meeting legal requirements, and securely storing and sharing data. It is intended for researchers, students, and faculty who work with sensitive data and want to ensure responsible and ethical handling

What is Sensitive Data?

Sensitive Data

Sensitive data refers to information that must be protected due to its confidential nature. It includes any data that, if disclosed, altered, or destroyed without authorization, could result in harm to an individual, organization, or institution.

Understanding types of sensitive information is the beginning of the process of effectively protecting it — continuously.

This may include:

  • Personally Identifiable Information (PII): Names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, etc.

  • Protected Health Information (PHI): Medical records and health-related data.

  • Financial Information: Bank account numbers, credit card details, tax records.

  • Academic or Research Data: Unpublished research, identifiable participant information, proprietary findings.

  • Authentication Data: Passwords, encryption keys, and access credentials.

Researchers handling sensitive data must follow ethical guidelines, institutional policies, and legal regulations to ensure data privacy and security.