Every dataset an organisation holds – customer records, payment details, health information – is a liability the moment it is not properly protected. Under the Data Protection Act and GDPR, “we did not know” is not a defence, and the gap between a well-encrypted system and a vulnerable one is often the difference between a minor incident and a headline-making breach.

The “UK Data Protection and Encryption” Training Course, delivered by Arab British Fellowship Training Academy, pairs the legal side of data protection with the technical craft of encryption. Participants come away able to secure data at rest and in transit, apply the right encryption approach for the right context, and keep their organisation compliant with UK data protection law.

Designed for anyone accountable for data, wherever it sits in the organisation:

• Information security and data protection professionals, and the officers responsible for compliance.
• IT managers and executives shaping data protection strategy.
• Specialists in encryption and digital privacy.
• Legal and compliance professionals, and anyone else handling sensitive organisational data.

What You’ll Take Away

• A solid grasp of why data protection matters under UK and global standards alike.
• The ability to apply encryption techniques to sensitive and personal data.
• Practical skills for managing and safeguarding data in digital business environments.
• Working compliance knowledge of the DPA and GDPR.
• An analytical approach to spotting data threats and countering them innovatively.

Module 1: Why Data Protection Can’t Be an Afterthought

• The role data protection plays in a digital-first world.
• What a data breach actually costs individuals and organisations.
• How data protection ties into national security.

Module 2: The Legal Backbone: DPA and GDPR

• An overview of the Data Protection Act and GDPR.
• The regulatory bodies that keep organisations accountable.
• What non-compliance actually costs, beyond the fine.

Module 3: What’s Actually Threatening Your Data

• Cyber-attacks like ransomware and phishing.
• How leakage and breaches happen in practice.
• Internal risks from improper data handling.

Module 4: Encryption 101: Symmetric vs Asymmetric

• The core difference between the two approaches.
• Common algorithms used to protect data.
• A practical look at AES, RSA and other standards.

Module 5: Protecting Data at Rest

• How encryption secures data stored in databases and files.
• Why encrypting stored data matters, especially for personal data.
• Best practices for encrypting user data at rest.

Module 6: Protecting Data in Transit

• How encryption secures data as it moves across networks.
• Email encryption and secure protocols like TLS.
• Encryption strategies suited to cloud environments.

Module 7: DPA 2018 in Practice

• Core principles the Act protects.
• The ICO’s role in the UK context.
• What the Act actually asks of organisations and individuals.

Module 8: GDPR: Rights and Rules

• Key differences between DPA and GDPR.
• Rules governing lawful, fair data processing.
• Individual rights under GDPR, including the right to be forgotten.

Module 9: Compliance Challenges Across Borders

• Applying data protection consistently in multinational organisations.
• Legal complications around cross-border data transfers.
• Handling breaches and incidents in line with GDPR.

Module 10: Encryption Across Channels: Payments, Networks, Mobile and IoT

• Securing electronic payment transactions through encryption.
• VPNs and TLS in protecting private and public network traffic.
• Encryption strategies for mobile apps and connected devices.

Module 11: Governance, Training and Auditing

• Designing internal data protection policies that actually get followed.
• Monitoring access and auditing data protection practices.
• Building staff awareness and a genuine culture of security.

Module 12: What’s Next in Data Protection

• Emerging trends: AI and blockchain in data security.
• Advanced threats: state-sponsored attacks, insider risk and IoT exposure.
• The frontier: quantum encryption and the future of cryptographic standards.