Glossary

Curious about the tech shaping the future of data security? Our glossary is your insider guide to the terms and tools redefining privacy, compliance, and secure collaboration.

Core Cryptographic Concepts

Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE)
A revolutionary cryptographic method that allows computations to be performed directly on encrypted data without decrypting it, ensuring sensitive information remains secure during processing.
Secure Multi-Party Computation (SMPC)
A cryptographic method enabling multiple parties to compute a result collaboratively without revealing their individual inputs, ideal for sensitive data-sharing scenarios.
Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP)
A cryptographic technique allowing one party to prove they know something (e.g., a password) without revealing the actual information itself.
Encryption-in-Use
Techniques like FHE that secure data even while it’s being processed, unlike traditional encryption methods that only protect data at rest or in transit.

Privacy and Security Technologies

Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs)
A suite of tools and techniques designed to safeguard privacy while enabling secure data use and sharing. PETs include FHE, differential privacy, secure multi-party computation, and more.
Differential Privacy
A privacy-preserving method that adds statistical noise to datasets, ensuring individuals’ data remains unidentifiable while allowing meaningful analysis.
Confidential Computing
A hardware-based approach to protecting data in use by isolating it within a secure "trusted execution environment" (TEE).
Data Anonymisation
The process of removing or modifying personal identifiers from data to protect individual privacy while retaining its analytical value.

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and a few minutes of cyber-incident to ruin it”

― Stéphane Nappo
VP Global Chief Information Security Officer, Groupe SEB

Applications of Privacy and Security Technologies

Encrypted Search
The ability to search encrypted datasets without revealing the search terms or the underlying data, enabled by technologies like FHE.
Trustless Collaboration
Systems where parties collaborate securely without needing to fully trust one another, made possible through technologies like FHE and SMPC.
Data Portability and Interoperability
Securely sharing and processing data across systems, industries, and borders using encryption and PETs.
AI and Secure Model Training
Leveraging PETs to train machine learning models on sensitive datasets while maintaining privacy and regulatory compliance.
Blockchain
A decentralised, immutable ledger technology often used in cryptocurrency and smart contracts. It can integrate with PETs like FHE for secure, private data-sharing in distributed systems.

Sector-Specific Applications

Healthcare Data Security
Protecting patient data while enabling advanced analytics, research, and collaboration through PETs like FHE.
Finance and Secure Analytics
Applying PETs to safeguard financial data during fraud detection, risk modelling, and collaborative analytics.
RegTech (Regulatory Technology)
Streamlining compliance processes in industries like finance and healthcare using technologies like FHE for secure, privacy-preserving data audits.

Other Data Security Terms

Cloud Security
Protecting data, applications, and infrastructure in cloud environments using technologies like FHE and secure enclaves.
Edge Computing Security
Securing data processed on edge devices, such as IoT devices, using PETs to ensure privacy in decentralised environments.
Data Sovereignty
Ensuring data adheres to the laws and regulations of the country where it’s collected or processed. FHE aids compliance by enabling secure cross-border collaboration.
Quantum Computing
A revolutionary type of computing that uses quantum mechanics to solve problems far beyond the capabilities of classical computers. While it holds promise for advancements in cryptography and optimisation, it also poses a significant threat to traditional encryption methods, spurring the development of quantum-resistant techniques.
Quantum-Resistant Encryption
Cryptographic methods designed to withstand attacks from quantum computers, ensuring long-term data security.