What a Calamity!

If you are going to be held accountable make it worthwhile, eh?

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

The UK Revenue and Customs have lost disks containing the personal and banking details of 15 Million people.

[news.bbc.co.uk...]

[sem4u]

What an absolute disgrace. I can't believe that something like this has happened. I wonder where the discs are now and if the data has been encrypted.

[LifeinAsia]

Don't worry- I'm sure the files are password-protected.

With a password of "password"

[sem4u]

That is a big relief LifeinAsia! :)

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

I see it now say 25 million!

[sem4u]

I don't know how a junior member of staff had access to download the whole database to discs. Haven't they heard of online systems? Mind you I am not too surprised that data has been lost as it seems like most of UK government IT systems are a shambles! :o

[Habtom]

The package was not recorded or registered. It appears the data has failed to reach the addressee in the NAO.

Whoever sent the package, he/she seems to have dropped it at the nearest post office.

Shouldn't this has been delivered in a more protected way or something, not even an individual, shouldn't it be handled by a team in a much more formal way?

[simey]

Happens all over. In my little area of U.S., voters records, job applicants info, college students records, all recently lost/stolen.

People in low paying jobs using outdated procedures or software. And nothing happens to them or their bosses, when something goes horribly wrong...who can blame them...

[Habtom]

It is so sad to see such a huge data getting into the wrong hands.

A bit off topic:

There was a recent incident here,involving a person whose friend worked at the government car reg dept, accused of getting personal info of female car owners including mobile numbers by just collecting their plate numbers. Apparently, he used the info to chase a few girls.

[edited by: Habtom at 11:24 am (utc) on Nov. 21, 2007]

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

And nothing happens to them or their bosses

The boss has already "resigned" in this case.

[ytswy]

Looks like someone is counting on the government having a sense of humour [theregister.co.uk].

[LifeinAsia]

Hilarious! Slight more funny would have been a picture with 'password="mother"' written on both disks.