Topic: Self-destructing data to protect personal details

[Simon]

A Dutch scientist has developed a system of deleting private details from databases automatically with pre-set time bombs that ensure redundant personal data is not left festering on company hard drives.

Dr Harold van Heerde of the Centre for Telematics and Information Technology at the University of Twente says his database software allows information to degrade as it becomes less relevant to the company or organisation holding the data.

The system, the scientist claims, means there would be far less danger of legacy details being leaked in a security breach.

“A lot of data becomes increasingly less valuable for a service provider over time, but they tend to keep it and often don't take sufficient precautions to protect it, so there is no balance between the value of the data and privacy risk,” van Heerde told PC Pro.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/security/358816/self-destructing-data-to-protect-personal-details

[sam]

interesting, we were having a discussion about that recently - I bet there is money to be had by offering services like this when people die (i.e. delete facebook account etc)

[Clive]

It certainly seems a very good idea to me. 

[Rik]

I'm just waiting for someone to turn it into a virus.

[sam]

give me 5 minutes...

[Simon]