e-File Transfer Service

Privacy Impact Assessment

Introduction

Statistics Canada will be implementing an e-File Transfer Service to enable organizations outside of Statistics Canada and Statistics Canada divisions to exchange electronic files in a secure manner using the Internet. This service will gradually replace a variety of practices currently employed by these divisions to exchange files with external contacts.

Objective

A privacy impact assessment of the e-File Transfer Service was conducted to determine if there were any privacy, confidentiality and security issues, and if so, to make recommendations for their resolution or mitigation.

Description

The e-FT Service is based upon a commercially acquired software product that provides highly secure storage surrounded by a number of connectivity interfaces that enable organizations to securely exchange sensitive information. The software has been customized by Statistics Canada so that it:

1. relies to the greatest extent possible on Statistics Canada’s network and computing infrastructure; and, 
2. respects the network separation (“air gap”) between Networks A and B.

Conclusion

This privacy impact assessment did not identify any privacy risks that cannot be managed using either current safeguards or others that have been specifically developed for the implementation of the e-File Transfer Service.