Database Management · Advanced level

Advanced level · Module 3: Data Security and Privacy · Lesson 4 of 4

Auditing and Privacy Practices

Record who did what, and apply data minimisation, retention and consent principles.

In this lesson you will

  • Set up auditing of sensitive operations
  • Write a data minimisation and retention policy

Key concepts

audit logdata minimisationretention periodanonymisation and pseudonymisation

The lesson

Audit logs record who accessed or changed sensitive data and when. Use triggers or an audit extension such as pgAudit, protect the logs from alteration and review them.

Collect only the data a programme needs (minimisation), keep it only as long as necessary (retention) and use it only for the purposes people were told about. Follow your organisation's data protection policy, donor requirements and the laws that apply.

For analysis and sharing, pseudonymise (replace identifiers with codes) or anonymise data. Remember that combinations of age, village and diagnosis can identify someone even without a name.

Step by step

  1. Add auditing for changes to patient records.
  2. Identify columns that are not needed and plan their removal.
  3. Write retention periods for each table.
  4. Create a pseudonymised view for analysts.

Practice activity

Write the health programme's retention policy and implement auditing and a pseudonymised analysis view.

Expected result: Changes are audited, the policy is clear and analysts can work without direct identifiers.

Check your understanding

  1. What is data minimisation?

    Show answer

    Collecting and keeping only the data that is needed.

  2. Can data without names still identify a person?

    Show answer

    Yes; combinations of details can identify someone.

Taught live by an instructor — online or in person. Free course lessons are for self-study and do not lead to a certificate — see registration options.