More data lost

Now the UK Government has lost more data…

The memory stick contained un-encrypted details about [sic] 10,000 prolific offenders as well as names, dates of births and some release date of all 84,000 prisoners in England and Wales – and 33,000 records from the police national computer.

This is an absolute farce, encrypted data was supplied to this external contractor for the government, and then data was stored in an unencrypted form on a memory stick, and now that memory stick has been ‘mis-laid’. Firstly storing that kind of data in an unencrypted format is ridiculous. The person who did that should be fired.

The Government are quick to try and disassociate themselves with the leak, by blaming it all on the external contractor. This doesn’t change the fact that the Government are ultimately responsible, and it asks the question can the Government be trusted with our personal data? As I posted the other day, the Government want to create a database of all UK citizens calls, emails and Internet logs (http://www.brettjenkins.co.uk/blog/2008/08/20/uk-government-plans-spy-database/). Even if that law is passed, the Government clearly can not be trusted to protect that data!

All the data lost so far:

Nov 2007: 25m people’s child benefit details, held on two discs
Dec 2007: 7,685 Northern Ireland drivers’ details
Dec 2007: 3m learner drivers’ details lost in US
Jan 2008: 600,000 people’s details lost on Navy officer’s stolen laptop
June 2008: Six laptops holding 20,000 patients’ details stolen from hospital
July 2008: MoD reveals 658 laptops stolen in four years

I wonder who’s data the Government will lose next? The saga continues…

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7575989.stm (That Jacqui Smith interview is a must watch, how many times can she say an external contractor in one interview?)

The government has plans to create a massive database that will store all phone calls, emails, and internet logs of all UK citizens. The information can be stored for as long as 2 years.

The database will take time to create, but there are trials and tests set in place with pre-determined people.

This is a feasible solution to solving criminal cases, and lowering crime rates, however, many will see it as a very large invasion of privacy.

UK Home Office minister, Lord West, noted:
“It is a cross-government program, led by the Home Office, to ensure that our capability to lawfully intercept and exploit data when fighting crime and terrorism is not lost.”

http://neowin.net/news/main/08/08/20/uk-to-invest-in-massive-spy-database

It is unacceptable that the UK government would even be allowed to do this, this is a serious invasion of privacy. I’ll be watching this story with great interest.