Digital Preservation Advisory Unit

This hands-on workshop aims to introduce GLAM and digital preservation practitioners to key cybersecurity concepts, strategies, and tools for protecting digital assets.

In the past few decades, cybersecurity has become an essential component of cultural heritage practice. As institutions increasingly steward digital collections, and utilise digital systems for everyday operations, cybersecurity has become an important consideration. Threats such as ransomware, unauthorized access, accidental deletion, and file corruption pose significant risks to the long-term integrity, confidentiality, and availability of digital collections. GLAM professionals are often responsible for protective sensitive and irreplaceable materials. 

Participants will learn to identify common threats, apply protective measures using open-source tools, and respond effectively to incidents through preservation-aligned workflows. This workshop emphasises the role of GLAM professionals in preparing collections for security and communicating effectively with IT departments. The goal is not for participants to become “ethical hackers,” but rather to gain expertise that bridges archival and cybersecurity practice. 

Topics Covered

• Common cybersecurity threats to digital archival collections
• Core concepts of information security (confidentiality, integrity, availability) in a digital preservation context
• Fixity checking and integrity monitoring as tools for detecting corruption or tampering
• Encryption and decryption basics for protecting sensitive data and understanding ransomware
• Incident response fundamentals for archives: detection, containment, recovery, and documentation 

Workshop Activities 

• Conceptual Overview: Introduction to cybersecurity principles framed through digital preservation workflows
• Fixity Checking and Triage: Creating and verifying checksums, identifying integrity failures, and interpreting fixity reports
• Encryption and Decryption: Encrypting and decrypting collection materials using open-source tools, with discussion of key management and access control
• Incident Response Planning: Working through simulated cybersecurity scenarios to identify immediate actions, recovery strategies, and documentation needs 

Course Timing: 12pm-4:30pm GMT

Frequently Asked Questions 

Are there discounted places available? 

Yes, we are able to evaluate cases for discounted places, particularly for participants from Official Development Assistance (ODA) countries. Please email digitalpreservation@soton.ac.uk with a brief note on your situation and we will offer you a discounted ticket. 

Can I pay via invoice or purchase order? 

We ask that you please attempt to use the online store to issue payments wherever possible. If you do require an invoice, please send us an email at digitalpreservation@soton.ac.uk with plenty of advance so we can get the process started for you.

Payment using the Online Store can only be completed via Visa and Mastercard Credit/Debit Card or PayPal.  AMEX is not accepted.
If you have not previously created an account for the Online Store, you will need to create an account to make a payment.

RITM0767624

This is a hands-on online workshop designed to introduce the core concepts, tools, and workflows needed to preserve digital content with integrity and sustainability.

Over the past few decades, the digital preservation community has devised a number of open-source tools and workflows to support the long-term preservation of digital assets. Even though digital preservation is a “solved problem,” there is a need for support in the field for professionals looking to earn proficiency in these tools and apply skills in their own institutional contexts.

This session is ideal for archivists, digital preservation professionals, librarians, records managers, and IT staff working with long-term data stewardship. Whether you're just getting started or looking to refine your preservation strategy, this workshop offers accessible guidance on working with file formats, ensuring data integrity, and managing digital preservation workflows.  

Topics Covered

• Identifying file formats
• Understanding the structure of file formats and signatures through hexadecimal editors
• Migration planning of problematic files to preservation-friendly formats
• Packaging and validating files for secure storage and transfer  
• Ensuring long-term access through file integrity checks  

Workshop Activities  

• Tool Demo: Hands-on practice with format identification and validation tools such as DROID and Siegfried
• Conversion Exercise: Migrating proprietary or obsolete file formats to preservation-suitable formats
• Packaging Simulation: Using BagIt to structure and validate a digital package  
• Discussion: Access and preservation, migration and emulation, and decision-making in digital preservation 

Timing of the course: 11:00hrs - 15:30hrs

Frequently Asked Questions  

Do I need to install any software beforehand?  

All tools used will be free and open source. Participants will receive setup instructions ahead of the workshop and support will be available during the session. No prior technical experience is required, although familiarity with command line is helpful. 

Are there discounted places available?  

Yes, we are able to evaluate cases for discounted places, particularly for participants from Official Development Assistance (ODA) countries. Please email digitalpreservation@soton.ac.uk with a brief note on your situation and we will offer you a discounted ticket.

Payment using the Online Store can only be completed via Visa and Mastercard Credit/Debit Card or PayPal.  AMEX is not accepted.
If you have not previously created an account for the Online Store, you will need to create an account to make a payment.

RITM0773812