Secure data storage

During the study, it is important to ensure that all data is stored securely to avoid data loss or unauthorised access. Below are some recommendations on how to properly store and handle data during a study.

Choose your storage environment carefully. Not all storage locations are equally suitable for all types of data. There are several factors to consider when choosing where to store your research data. Creating a data management plan will help in this process. It is also advisable to contact the data curators or IT support in your organisation.

When choosing where to store your data, consider the following questions about the specifics of the data:

• How much data will be created?

• Does the dataset contain sensitive data?

• Are there restrictions on where data is stored? For example, does the data need to be stored in the European Union?

Assess how the data will be used:

• Who will need access to the data – only the specific study group or other partners?

• Will I need access to the data from outside the university/institution?

• Will the researchers need access to the data after the study has finished?

Remember that data can be easily lost or corrupted. Use services that provide automatic data backups and/or organise your own backups!

• Does this storage environment provide automatic backups? If yes, how long can they be restored?

The main data storage locations for survey data can be divided into:

• University/Institute network drives

• Cloud services

• Mobile devices

University/Institute network drives are usually maintained and managed within the institution’s IT infrastructure, thus ensuring a relatively high level of security, regular data backups and access control. They are suitable if you work or collaborate within an institution.

Access to these drives is often organised through a local network, but if you need to work remotely, you can use a VPN (virtual private network) to securely connect to the system from outside.

One of the biggest benefits of using institutional network drives is data security and sustainability. Unlike personal computers or mobile devices, where data loss can occur due to hardware failure or theft, institutional IT departments typically provide automated data backup, which reduces the risk of information loss.

However, it should be noted that the use of an institution’s network drives may be limited by the space available and the rules on what data can be stored there. Individual research groups may need to apply for additional space or obtain permission to store specific types of confidential data.

Cloud services offers a convenient and flexible solution for storing research data, making it easy to access data from different devices and collaborate with other researchers. They provide regular backups and a range of security features such as encryption and access control.

However, it is important to choose trusted cloud providers that are recommended by the university or institute you represent (e.g, OneDrive, which you log in to with your university authentication instead of your personal email address). The configurations of the cloud services used by the institutions generally comply with security and legal standards such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation. The use of cloud services should be particularly carefully considered when dealing with personal data.

It is not recommended to use third-party cloud solutions that are not tailored to the needs of the institution, such as, Google Drive and Dropboxwhich are accessed via personal (not institutional) email addresses.

Mobile devices, such as USB sticks, external hard drives or personal computers, can be used for storing short-term copies of data, but they are not loss-protected and do not offer automatic data backup. It is not recommended to store research data on private computers or devices. Particular care should be taken if the data contain sensitive information.

When using mobile devices, you need to make sure that:

• The device is protected (e.g. by a password) if it stores personal data for a short period of time

• Regular data backups (backup)

• Devices are regularly checked to make sure they are working properly

• Selected devices from trusted manufacturers

• Please note that external storage devices are not designed for long-term data storage. If data is stored on external storage devices, it is recommended to copy it to newer devices every 3-5 years