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data security

The PERG Data Security Committee has crafted two documents to aid rental companies:

Background

Data security was first raised as an issue during a meeting that took place just before the opening of Cine Gear Expo 2011.  PERG hosted a meeting with AICP company executives and PERG member companies.  Camera rental houses reported regularly receiving their rented media storage devices back after rentals with the client’s images still stored on the media. This raised several concerns for the rental houses:

• Is the rental house expected to preserve the data for some unspecified period of time?
• Does the rental house assume some sort of responsibility or custody of this data that they should not, especially when the images may be of a secret or sensitive nature?
• Could a rental company be found at fault for the loss of recorded content through technical malfunction, physical damage or operator mistakes?
• For companies that offer some level of post production assistance, or who make it part of their business to preserve the files contained on the storage devices for their clients, or who offer data recovery services, how are practices, security protocols, protections or safeguards to be specified?
• Who is responsible for making sure that files are deleted in a way that they are not easily recoverable using available software?

In the spring of 2012 PERG formed a committee to look into the matter.  We held meetings in New York and Los Angeles that brought together rental houses, insurance, labor, studios, and equipment manufacturers to discuss all sides of the issue.  It became clear that, in the end, it has to be the responsibility of the production company to provide for the security of their own images.  The recorded content should be securely deleted before being returned to the rental house.  However, it also was clear that creating best practices for camera technician’s and producers is beyond our association’s role in the industry. Instead the PERG Data Security Committee sought to provide rental houses with the awareness and comprehensive consideration of data security issues as it impacts their business.  The drafted documents were first presented at the PLASA PERG General Membership Meeting at NAB 2012.

Participants

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