Keeping personal data secure is a well-established obligation
under the UK data protection regime. The UK data protection
watchdog, Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), has published advice on using encryption to
satisfy this requirement. The ICO recommends universal use of
encryption, especially when the loss or theft of personal data
could have detrimental effects on individuals. The advice
elaborates on how encryption works and the types of encryption that
are available.
The advice discusses the difference between encryption and
password or PIN protection. Password protection only blocks access
to the data, but can be easy to circumvent, and if circumvented,
full access to the information is attainable. In contrast,
encryption uses a complex series of mathematical algorithms to
protect and hide the underlying data. This ensures that data cannot
be accessed without an encryption key, which is far harder to
circumvent.
