Confirming Data Destruction in AMS: A Researcher’s Guide

Why This Is Important

Before your UK Biobank research project closes, you must confirm that all data has been securely destroyed. This step ensures participant privacy and compliance with the UK Biobank Material Transfer Agreement (MTA). This action can only be completed by the Principal Investigator or Lead Collaborator.

How to Complete the Form

Step 1: Access the Form

• Log in to AMS.
• Go to Data Destruction Confirmation under the Admin tab in your project folder.

Step 2: Review Each Storage Location

You’ll see a list of possible storage locations (servers, laptops, cloud storage, etc.). For each:

• Select Yes if UK Biobank data was stored there.
• Select No if it wasn’t.

Step 3: If Yes, Choose Your Deletion Method

When you select Yes, a dropdown menu appears. Choose the method you used:

• Servers: cipher (Windows), dd, shred, srm (Linux), or secure deletion tools like DBAN.
• Email/SharePoint: Built-in retention and deletion policies (e.g., Microsoft Purview).
• Devices: Full disk encryption (BitLocker/FileVault) plus secure wipe tools.
• Virtual Machines: Delete snapshots and securely wipe virtual disks.
• Cloud Storage: Apply retention/deletion policies.
• Mobile Devices: Remote wipe via MDM (e.g., Intune).
• Removable Media: Use secure erase tools or physically destroy the media.

Step 4: Certify

• If all answers are No: Confirm that no UK Biobank data was downloaded.
• If any answer is Yes: Confirm that:
  • All data and backups have been securely destroyed.
  • Any hardware used has been wiped before disposal.
  • No data remains in any unauthorized format.
  • Destruction complies with the UK Biobank MTA.

Helpful Tips

• Double-check backups and virtual machines, they’re easy to overlook.
• Keep internal records of your deletion process for audits.
• Use approved tools for secure erasure, simply deleting files is not enough.
• If support is required with these processes, please contact your Institutional Information Technology team.