[Beowulf] confidential data on public HPC cluster

Hearns, John john.hearns at mclaren.com
Mon Mar 1 10:30:08 PST 2010


I think Mark Hahn has given a lot of good advice here.

It depends on the nature of the data. Is it:

a) industrially confidential

b) clinically confidential (ie patient identifiable data)

c) government confidential (ie government department stats)

d) Nuclear eyes-only

If (d) you're on your own.


Actually, the way you should look at this is 
"what happens if this data does leak out" and this depends on who gets
hold of it

Data from (c) leaking would probably cause little lasting or real damage
- but the headlines in the press
along the lines of "Government cannot keep data safe" are pretty
embarrassing.

I think the response is to demonstrate you took reasonable steps to
secure the data.

The audit trail concept is good.


The contents of this email are confidential and for the exclusive use of the intended recipient.  If you receive this email in error you should not copy it, retransmit it, use it or disclose its contents but should return it to the sender immediately and delete your copy.




More information about the Beowulf mailing list