UK Government Loses 15 Million Private Records 339
bestweasel writes "The BBC reports that a UK Government department has lost discs with details of 15 million benefit recipients, including names, addresses, date of birth and bank accounts. The head of the department involved, HM Revenue & Customs, has resigned and his resignation 'was accepted because discs had been transported in breach of rules governing data protection' so someone thinks it's not a trivial matter. The Chancellor will try to evade responsibility in the House of Commons at 3.30 GMT.
A similar leak of a 'mere' 15,000 records from the same department happened a month or so ago. At that time, they refused to say 'on security grounds' whether the information was encrypted." We just recently talked about Britain's consideration of legal penalties for situations like this. I imagine this incident will weigh on that decision.
Re:25 million now... (Score:5, Funny)
Where's the Backup? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:And they expect us to trust them... (Score:5, Funny)
This give us hope (Score:4, Funny)
In a country where you are watched by security camera most of the day, and can be detained without charge for longer than anywhere on Earth, it is reassuring to note that the UK Government is so incredibly incompetent that there will always be a way to escape. No need for tunnels, gliders, or under the floor of a Trabant -- it should be pretty much possible to just walk through the border with a library card altered in crayon.
Re:yeah, it'll weigh on them (Score:5, Funny)
That should read 'on job security grounds'
Re:Listen up, Brits (Score:4, Funny)
of that bunch of God-bothering homophobic nutjobs. Enjoy the
Turkey.
Toodle pip!
Re:Three times! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Offering 100,000 - 1 odds it was clear text (Score:5, Funny)
Just trying to help (Score:5, Funny)
That's where I always lose things.
They might be there.
Thankyou please to send password (Score:2, Funny)
Re:25 million now... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Three times! (Score:2, Funny)
Am I right to surmise that's another American expression with which I am unfamiliar, roughly equivalent to the contemporary British colloquial usage "twat" or "arsehole"?
Re:25 million now... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:25 million now... (Score:3, Funny)
Even if they didn't since they are not a person it's kind of hard to put them in prison.
Personally I think it was honourable of Paul Grey (HMRC's Chairman) to resign.
It's not a good sign when doing the right thing becomes the exception rather than the rule. Wonder if he's taking good care of his P45 and UB40...
Re:This give us hope (Score:3, Funny)