Secure Research Environment

Federal Statistical Research Data Centers (FSRDCs) are facilities managed by the Census Bureau and housed in partner institutions. Data files containing Federal Tax Information can be accessed at FSRDCs for approved projects. Therefore FSRDCs must meet all physical and information security requirements in accordance with IRS Publication 1075, Tax Information Security Guidelines for Federal, State and Local Agencies. Each FSRDC location is inspected and approved by the Department of Commerce (DOC) Office of Security prior to opening and periodically while in operation.

Physical access to FSRDCs is controlled by Census Bureau issued badges and badge readers. Activity in FSRDCs is monitored by security cameras operated by the DOC Office of Security. Partner institutions install Intrusion Detection Systems along with sensors.

Data accessed in the FSRDCs are physically located on computer servers at the Census Bureau’s Computer Center in Bowie, MD and accessed via a thin client. Thin clients can only display information from the server and accept mouse and keyboard input from the researcher. Communications from the FSRDC thin clients to the servers is via secure communications lines and is encrypted per Security Requirements for Cryptographic Modules (FIPS 140-3). Researchers cannot access the Internet (or any other network) while in an FSRDC and are unable to download any information from the Census Bureau’s servers. All users’ activities are logged and monitored by Census Bureau computer staff. Furthermore, researchers are not allowed to bring laptop computers and other personal computer devices into an FSRDC. FSRDC researchers can collaborate with other FSRDC researchers across the U.S. through the secure FSRDC computing environment.

More detailed information about physical and computing security and the physical operations of FSRDCs can be found in Guidelines for the Development and Operation of a Federal Statistical Research Data Center (RDC) or RDC Branch.

Statistical Software Packages

FSRDC researchers have access to computing capacity to handle large datasets and complex calculations. Standard statistical, econometric, and programming software, including the below are available in a Linux environment. Available software, including versions, is subject to change.

• Anaconda Python
• Knittro
• MADD
• Mathematica
• MATLAB
• R
• Rstudio
• SAS®
• Stat/Transfer
• Stata
• Stata-MP
• SUDAAN
• Tomlab

Application Process

For information on the Standard Application Process for submitting research proposals, obtaining required Special Sworn Status, and disclosure avoidance review, please visit Restricted-Use Data Application Process. For information about project and researcher eligibility for remote access to certain restricted-use datasets, please visit Secure Remote Research Environment to Access Restricted-Use Data (census.gov).