Providing Secure Access to Sensitive Data

Data services are now at a very exciting crossroad. The possibilities for innovative science represented by data merging, mashing, mining and mapping is rapidly expanding, as e-science web 2.0 worlds clamour for Open Data. Yet at the same time the power of these very techniques raises new concerns about data protection, as new techniques make the possibility of identifying individuals ever greater. Following some high profile data disclosure scandals and fearing public and respondent backlash, many data providers are seeking to place even greater restrictions on research access to detailed data. How can research access to data be preserved (and indeed expanded) whilst ensuring data security? This panel will compare and contrast existing options across the globe for providing secure access to sensitive data. Participants will include Tim Mulcahy/Pascal Heus from the NORC Secure Data Enclave (representing direct secure remote access to microdata), Stefan Bender from the German IAB (representing a remote execution service), a representative TBC from the Canadian Research Data Centres (representing networked safe centres), and a representative TBC from the US Census RDCs (representing stand-alone secure centres). The panel will be chaired by Melanie Wright, Director of the UK's new ESRC Secure Data Service.