Technology for the Greater Good: Encryption and the Fundamental Right of Data Privacy
About This Webinar
In this essential conversation, Paperclip CRO Chad Walter sits down with Heather Lowrie, CISO of the Year 2024 (SC Awards Europe), to explore how encryption protects not just corporate data—but fundamental human rights, democratic freedoms, and human dignity.
This isn’t another technical deep-dive into algorithms and protocols. It’s a thought-provoking discussion about the ethical responsibilities organizations bear when handling sensitive information, the evolution of privacy-enhancing technologies, and how security leaders can balance privacy rights with practical business needs.
Whether you’re navigating complex compliance frameworks like DORA, evaluating encryption-in-use technologies, or simply seeking strategic perspective on privacy’s role in modern business, this webinar provides insights you won’t find in traditional security conferences.
Key Discussion Topics
Encryption as a Fundamental Human Right
Heather explores how encryption extends far beyond cybersecurity—protecting survivors of violence, enabling democratic participation, and safeguarding the freedoms essential to human dignity. Drawing from legal frameworks including the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and GDPR, this segment reframes encryption as an ethical imperative, not just a compliance requirement.
Breaking the Privacy-Availability Myth
“There’s often a misconception within cybersecurity that data availability and data protection and privacy are opposing forces, but they’re complementary,” Heather explains. This segment challenges the false dichotomy between security and usability, demonstrating how modern encryption technologies like Paperclip SAFE’s encryption-in-use solution enables both protection and real-time access.
Shared Responsibility in Data Protection
Who bears responsibility when data is compromised? Heather breaks down the shared responsibility model that governs data supply chains under European law, introducing the concept of “humane by design”—an approach that extends beyond compliance to address broader societal vulnerabilities and fundamental rights.
The Evolution of Encryption-in-Use
New legislation and international privacy frameworks are driving a fundamental shift in how organizations must protect data—particularly while it’s being actively used. Heather discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by encryption-in-use technology, including its potential to enhance security while enabling useful data analysis for AI and business intelligence applications.
Navigating Lawful Access Without Backdoors
The webinar addresses one of cybersecurity policy’s most contentious debates: balancing privacy rights with law enforcement’s need to investigate criminal activity. Heather and Chad discuss how Paperclip’s approach to data sovereignty enables compliance with legal requirements without introducing systemic vulnerabilities that could compromise security for all users.
Quantum Readiness and the Future of Encryption
Organizations can’t wait for quantum computers to arrive before developing quantum-ready strategies. Heather emphasizes the importance of understanding current encryption technologies and building clear roadmaps for future transitions—including crypto-agility and post-quantum cryptographic standards.
AI vs. Quantum: Which Threatens Privacy More?
The discussion concludes with a compelling debate about whether AI or quantum computing poses the greater immediate threat to privacy. While quantum computing generates headlines, AI’s rapid development and current deployment may represent the more urgent challenge—requiring privacy-preserving technologies that enable AI innovation without exposing sensitive information.
Featured Speaker
Heather Lowrie
CISO of the Year 2024 (SC Awards Europe) | Fellow, Chartered Institute of Information Security | Founder, Resilionics
Heather Lowrie brings decades of distinguished leadership across government, public, and private sectors to the critical intersection of cybersecurity, risk management, and digital transformation. As the first Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at the University of Manchester, she led comprehensive information security and digital risk management initiatives for one of the UK’s premier institutions.
Her career includes serving as Head of Cyber Security, Risk, and Resilience for National Records of Scotland within the Scottish Government, where she supported the delivery of secure public services and led teams safeguarding national archival and civil registration information. She has successfully navigated major cyber crisis responses, including launching Scotland’s first digital-first census.
Beyond her operational excellence, Heather serves on advisory boards for organizations including Flo Health, ISC2 UK, and Infosecurity Europe. She recently joined Paperclip Inc. as an advisor to support the global strategy for our encryption solutions. Her unique perspective—combining legal training (law degree), technical expertise (postgraduate diploma in information technology, former software engineer and security architect), and strategic leadership—makes her one of the most respected voices in modern cybersecurity.
Heather champions mentorship, diversity, public-private collaboration, and lifelong learning in cybersecurity communities, and actively promotes STEM careers, especially for women, serving as a STEM Ambassador.
Related Resources
Learn More About Encryption-in-Use:
- Understanding Encryption of Data: At Rest, In Transit, and In Use
- The Data Encryption Best Practice You’re Missing: Encryption During Active Use
- Data Encryption Requirements 2025: Why Data-in-Use Protection Is Now Mandatory
Explore Compliance Frameworks:
- DORA Compliance: Encryption Solutions & Requirements
- Navigating Lawful Access and Encryption: Protecting Data Without Compromise
Discover Paperclip SAFE:
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