China values privacy by using encrypted data in battle against epidemic

China has been paying special attention to data security and personal privacy while using big data in its battle against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

Big data is of significance in analyzing personnel flow and judging the epidemic situation, which helps the government make specific plans for epidemic prevention and control.

To enhance security and protect privacy, China has adopted technical means to prevent data attacks, leakage and theft in the links of data circulation and application.

The blockchain technology — using encrypted data and records to manage personal information and track transactions — is one of the means applied in the fight against COVID-19.

From Feb 1 to 14, at least 20 applications based on blockchain were launched to tackle the emerging challenges.

In Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, a system for online consultation and screening was launched on Feb 1. The blockchain system securely manages health records, ensuring interoperability without compromising security and patient privacy.

In Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Vastchain Technology introduced Access Pass, a mini-program on WeChat, that can generate QR codes to enable residents to enter gated communities.

According to the company, all personal information collected is encrypted and stored in blockchain-based cloud servers. Even the company cannot retrieve the original data, and it will eliminate all the data publicly after the epidemic is over.

A big data analysis platform on which individual users can check whether they have taken the same flights, trains or buses with those confirmed or suspected cases has received more than 150 million checks since it was launched on Feb 8.

The cloud platform, developed by China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, has high-level security certification to ensure information safety in data collection, storage, management and use.

A contactless emergency management system, which has been used in many communities in China, is also based on the cloud platform developed by Alibaba Group using cloud servers to encrypt and store all personal information.

Alibaba cloud obtained a privacy protection certification issued by the British Standards Institution in November 2019, which reflects its commitment to the privacy protection of user data.

Besides the technical means, China also launched strict management standards to strengthen personnel management and data classification so as to avoid illegal acts such as data leakage and data abuse, according to the MIIT.

The Cyberspace Administration of China also issued a notice requiring the personal information collected to be used only for epidemic prevention and control.

Neither a company nor an individual can disclose the data without the consent of the person whose information has been collected, according to the notice.