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1 of 14|Obligations of Data Fiduciary
video 15 min•Security Safeguards
Encryption
Protecting data at rest and in transit.
🎯 Learning Objectives
- ▸ Understand what constitutes "reasonable security"
- ▸ Learn the difference between encryption at rest and in transit
- ▸ Identify industry standards for encryption
Encryption Basics
Encryption is the process of converting personal data into an unreadable format (ciphertext) so that even if a hacker steals the database, they cannot read the information without the decryption key.
Data at Rest vs Data in Transit
- • Encryption at Rest: Protecting data stored on servers, hard drives, or cloud databases (e.g., AWS RDS encryption, BitLocker).
- • Encryption in Transit: Protecting data as it moves over the network (e.g., HTTPS, TLS, VPNs).
If a company stores plain text credit card numbers, passwords, or health records, it is a direct violation of the obligation to implement reasonable security safeguards.
📖 Glossary
- Encryption
- The process of encoding information so that only authorized parties can access it.
- AES-256
- An advanced encryption standard widely used by governments and businesses to protect classified information.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Encryption scrambles data so it cannot be read without a key.
- Use AES-256 for data at rest and TLS 1.2+ for data in transit.
- Encryption is required but not sufficient on its own.
📚 Further Reading
- DPDPA Section 8(5) — Government of India (2023)
Course Author
Shilpi Kulshrestha
Shilpi is a corporate lawyer with over a decade of experience in data protection, company law, and regulatory compliance. She has advised 50+ startups and enterprises on DPDPA readiness, privacy gover...