Categories: control • separate • isolate

Personal Data Store

Contents

Summary

Subjects keep control on their personal data that are stored on a personal device.

Context

The pattern is applicable to any data produced by the data subject (or originally under his control) as opposed to data about him produced by third parties.

Problem

Data subjects actually lose control over their data when they are stored on a server operated by a third party.

Solution

A solution consists in combining a central server and secure personal tokens. Personal tokens, which can take the form of USB keys, embed a database system, a local web server and a certificate for their authentication by the central server. Data subjects can decide on the status of their data and, depending on their level of sensitivity, choose to record them exclusively on their personal token or to have them replicated on the central server. Replication on the central server is useful to enhance sustainability and to allow designated third parties (e.g. health professionals) to get access to the data.

Enhance the control of the subjects on their personal data.

Consequences

Data subjects need to be equipped with a personal data store.

Examples

Patients want to keep control over their health data but also to grant specific access to some health professionals.

[Known Uses]

It has even been deployed for certain types of services, in particular, in the health sector.