Digital archives are attractive targets precisely because they hold everything in one place — which makes a single breach far more damaging than a lost paper file ever could be. This training course opens with that threat landscape, then builds the practical skills to defend against it: access control, encryption, backup, and the legal frameworks that govern how long data should be kept and how it must be protected.

Case studies of real breaches and hands-on exercises in secure storage and retrieval round out the course, so participants leave able to both preserve digital records and defend them.

Target Group:

• IT managers and data officers.
• Archivists and records managers.
• Compliance and risk management professionals.
• HR and administrative staff responsible for record keeping.
• Digital transformation and IT project leaders.

Program Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify the main threats facing digital archives and records.
• Apply digital preservation principles alongside secure storage and access control.
• Use encryption and authentication to protect sensitive information in transit and at rest.
• Design backup and disaster recovery plans that hold up under real failure.
• Meet GDPR, ISO, and other regulatory requirements for digital records.
• Assess vulnerabilities and prioritize risk mitigation across archiving systems.

Module 1: The Stakes — Why Digital Records Get Targeted

• Confidentiality, integrity, and availability as core security concepts.
• Common threats: malware, unauthorized access, and data breaches.
• Security policies and frameworks that set the baseline.

Module 2: Archiving Basics — What to Keep and How Long

• Digital archiving concepts and why they matter.
• Types of digital records and formats.
• Principles of long-term digital preservation.

Module 3: Storing It Right

• Storage solutions: cloud vs. on-premises.
• Implementing access control and user permissions.
• Maintaining audit trails and access logs.

Module 4: Locking the Doors — Encryption and Authentication

• Principles of data encryption and cryptography.
• Authentication methods and secure login protocols.
• Securing sensitive information in transit and at rest.

Module 5: When Things Go Wrong

• Strategies for regular backups and redundancy.
• Disaster recovery plans for digital archives.
• Testing recovery procedures and business continuity.

Module 6: Staying on the Right Side of the Law

• Regulatory frameworks: GDPR, ISO standards, and others.
• Ensuring archiving practices meet legal obligations.
• Records retention policies and documentation.

Module 7: Finding the Gaps Before Someone Else Does

• Identifying vulnerabilities in digital archiving systems.
• Conducting risk assessments and security audits.
• Real-world examples of digital archiving and data breaches, with hands-on secure storage exercises.