Introduction
As we explored in our previous article on the regulatory landscape for UK higher education data protection, institutions face unprecedented challenges in securing sensitive information while maintaining operational effectiveness. With cyber security threats escalating and regulatory requirements becoming increasingly stringent, higher education institutions need solutions that specifically address their unique needs within the UK’s regulatory framework.
6 Steps to Compliance
A strong compliance posture starts with:
- Data classification - Identify what needs protecting; a good question to ask is what would happen if this data were lost or stolen? This might include personally identifiable information (PII) covered by UK GDPR, valuable research data, or commercially sensitive information.
- Risk Assessment – Understand the threats to sensitive data, ask questions such as:
- Who would be interested in stealing your data and why?
- What could disrupt or corrupt your data?
- How could the data be lost – what access points are there?
- Policy Development - Define how and when data is shared by establishing clear guidelines for what types of data must be shared through secure channels and align with the NCSC’s guidance for higher education [1].
- Technical Deployment - Roll out a solution that makes it easier for users to adhere to the policies you’ve defined, than to ignore them. Integrating with existing security frameworks and aligning with broader institutional security policies will reduce friction for users.
- Training and Awareness – Ensure staff understand both how to use the solution and why specific security measures are necessary. The ease of use should be emphasised to encourage adoption.
- Ongoing Monitoring – Establish oversight processes to ensure consistent use of the solution and to identify any emerging compliance risks. A strong technical deployment stage should make light work of continuous monitoring. The implementation process should prioritise departments handling the most sensitive data while establishing a roadmap for institution-wide adoption.
How Secure File Transfer Solutions Support the Road to Compliance
For higher education and research institutions, securely sharing large files is essential for effective collaboration. This is especially important during the Policy Development and Technical Deployment phases of the Compliance Roadmap.
A well-defined data sharing policy should outline the methods, timing, and recipients of data exchanges. As highlighted in our blog on the limitations of email attachments, email is not ideal for transferring sensitive information due to file size restrictions and the risk of data accumulation. Implementing a secure, efficient alternative is therefore critical when developing your policy.
The policy should also address compliance with GDPR and Research Excellence Framework (REF) requirements, including measures such as encrypting sensitive data in transit.
Ensuring GDPR Compliance with End-to-End Encryption and Data Control
Under the UK GDPR, higher education institutions must implement strong technical safeguards to protect personal data or face significant penalties. With vast amounts of sensitive information— ranging from student and staff records to sensitive research— these institutions are particularly exposed to both regulatory scrutiny and cyber threats.
Hexiosec Transfer addresses these challenges with end-to-end encryption using AES-256. Files are encrypted before leaving the sender’s device and remain protected until after the intended recipient downloads them. This ensures data security both in transit and whilst at rest on the servers, providing full protection throughout the data transfer lifecycle.
Crucially, Hexiosec Transfer is designed so that file contents remain inaccessible, even to the platform itself. This directly supports the GDPR principle of data protection by design and default, offering universities a clear demonstration of their commitment to privacy and compliance.
Beyond encryption, Hexiosec Transfer enhances data control with features like file expiry and recipient tracking. File downloads can be set to expire after a set number of downloads or a specific time period, after which they are automatically deleted from the server. These controls are especially valuable when sharing sensitive research or personal data with external collaborators.
Additionally, the recipient verification feature provides visibility into who accessed files and from where, creating detailed audit trails. This level of transparency supports the GDPR’s accountability principle, enabling institutions to demonstrate responsible data handling with verifiable evidence.
UK Data Sovereignty and Research Compliance
Following Brexit, UK universities face increased complexity around data sovereignty and international transfers. Hexiosec Transfer offers a clear solution with its UK-developed and UK-hosted platform, built by professionals from the UK Security and Defence sectors. By ensuring all data remains within UK borders and is managed by a UK company, it removes the need for complex international safeguards and provides a stable, compliant framework for institutions.
This UK-centric design is particularly beneficial for institutions participating in the Research Excellence Framework (REF); Hexiosec’s end-to-end encryption protects sensitive research data during collaboration, while the platform supports separation of data and access control when using the recipient verification feature.
By combining strong encryption, UK data residency, and scalable file transfer capabilities, Hexiosec Transfer helps universities meet both post-Brexit legal obligations and the rigorous standards of the Research Excellence Framework.
Balancing Usability with Security Across Decentralised Environments
Higher education institutions often operate with decentralised IT structures, leading to inconsistent security practices and increased risk. At the same time, enforcing strict security measures can create friction for users, prompting them to seek workarounds that undermine institutional policies.
Hexiosec Transfer bridges this gap by offering a secure, centralised solution that’s easy to adopt across diverse departments. Its intuitive, browser-based interface requires no software installation, making it accessible to users regardless of technical expertise. Users can also request files from recipients, even without the recipient requiring an account.
The platform is designed to support large datasets and multimedia files, ensuring high performance without compromising security. Hexiosec Transfer accommodates a wide range of academic workflows—from student submissions to sensitive research collaboration. This user-friendly design promotes broad adoption while upholding strong data protection standards. With end-to-end encryption, it safeguards confidential and commercially valuable data, such as medical research and intellectual property.
By combining usability with robust protection, Hexiosec Transfer empowers institutions to standardise secure file sharing across campus, reducing risk while supporting the collaborative nature of academic work.
Conclusion: Future-Proofing Higher Education Data Security
The regulatory landscape for UK higher education continues to evolve, with cyber security threats growing in sophistication and regulatory scrutiny increasing. Solutions like Hexiosec Transfer provide not just compliance with current requirements but a foundation for addressing future challenges.
The combination of end-to-end encryption, UK sovereignty, comprehensive control features, and user-friendly design makes Hexiosec Transfer particularly well-suited to the unique needs of higher education institutions. By implementing such solutions, these institutions can protect sensitive data, demonstrate regulatory compliance, and support their core education and research missions without security becoming a barrier to innovation or collaboration.
In an era where data protection failures can result in significant financial penalties, reputational damage, and operational disruption, investing in UK sovereign solutions like Hexiosec Transfer represents not just regulatory compliance but strategic risk management for forward-thinking higher education institutions.
Hexiosec Transfer is available to purchase through Jisc’s Chest platform, which offers exclusive discounts and contract terms to Chest members. Join our launch webinar on Thursday 5th June at 11:00 am to learn more.
Register for our upcoming launch webinar in collaboration with Jisc
on Thursday 5th June at 11:00am to learn more about this new agreement and how secure file transfer can improve your organisation’s operational security.
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