UK Government Contractor loses Data on Criminals

UK Government Contractor loses Data on Criminals

news.bbc.co.uk

A contractor working for the Home Office has lost a computer memory stick containing personal details about tens of thousands of criminals.

The Home Office was first told by private firm PA Consulting on Monday that the data might be missing.

The lost data includes details about 10,000 prolific offenders as well as information on all 84,000 prisoners in England and Wales.

(visit the link for the full news article)

You've got to be kidding. Yet ANOTHER loss of data on behalf of the UK government. (The fact that the information lost relates to criminals is irrelevant. It is the principle that is at stake.)

This is becoming so frequent we need a new forum for this issue alone:

UK Government Data Loss

I kid you not.


news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by pause4thought


Great news, I might be able to pass a CRB check now

Seriously, why does this come as no surprise?
The incompetence of these people is staggering and though only joking above, (or am I?), could we end up with Peadophile's being allowed to work with children etc?

Is it criminal negligence which could be punishable in a Court Of Law?
I doubt it, but should it be?

And the best bit, it hit the news and no one cared because they expect that now. The true blame of this lies with all politicians because of their previous disrespect for data, or more pertinantly computers, they were somehow geeky. Now data is so compressed that it is worth more than its weight in gold.
The current government is spending its time coping, but must change so many of its attitudes that it cannot do so in power. If we are to get conclusions drawn up on and implemented soon, we need to hope that the Conservative Party is researching this as a matter of urgency, ready for power in 2010.

reply to post by Freeborn


You raise some very important issues there. At least some people can see how important matters relating to data security are - or should be: the Home Office has proved itself so incompetent 'data security' is now a complete misnomer.



reply to post by redled


The opposition should show its determination to embarrass the government into taking serious measures on this front now. Today, this week any opposition worth its salt should truly call the government to account over its dismal record.

We shall see. Over recent years the opposition has often seemed to lack real bite. (It may be a leadership issue.)



NB - the original article has been updated to include a radio interview with the Shadow Home Secretary. What he says is all spot on, but will he go beyond an impressive media interview (and political point-scoring) and bring the government to account in parliament - big style?

(There are still some who think parliament is more important than the media.)

Trying to not be too cynical here but could this be a deliberate slip-up to pave the way for the government to bump off undesirables and blame vigilantes/criminals?

Cynicism aside, it wouldn't matter which government were in power, data is easily lost. Specially when the data is placed onto portable media. Even were the data locked onto a server somewhere it could be accessed (altered and/or deleted) by a determined individual or group.

I wish they would release (a'erm, "lose") something more interesting like the names and addresses of working girls (with ratings by MP's), MP's expenses, unclaimed land and money, names and addresses of corrupt local councilors, MP's and police..and my wish list goes on...

i do not believe you loose data just like that , i guess there is a purpose on this! i have no ideea why..

I am absolutely over joyed, I hope they keep this up. I am concerned that there is no records of more serious criminals of course but for myself its like i have another chance to turn my life around, although... they still have my D.N.A, so i doubt they lost the D.N.A part they would still be able to look that up wundt they?.

Besides that though if they don't have it on anymore i would be so happy!!!!. I knew somthing like this would happen, cause i gruantee you, alot of criminals would sign up to be a police officer which is what I am doing!.

Reply to deathpoet69


Hi. I hope you're sitting comfortably. As I understand it the loss does not mean that they do not possess other copies of the data. It just means the personal details of all these people are now effectively in the public domain. Cue headlines, job-losses, blackmail, vigilanteism and goodness know what else.

Do you have a Hamlet?






[edit on 22/8/08 by pause4thought]

i dont knwo what a hamlet is, i have 4 samuri swords though. Shame, so they still probably have my details, i only have cautions though.

lol. i like, i use to like cigars but now i cant, my lungs r messed up. i cant see that video at mo ill try look later. tar!

Hey there P4T,

Just saw this on the web, but you beat me to it.

Can't believe that this amount of data can be "lost". Call me a conspirator be it seems like act one of a new play for the Brits.

At least the US isn't the only one that has this happen. I swear, it seems like the more we put our faith in computers and back up's and such, the more things go wrong. Data is lost and there is no paper back up because it is not cost efficient and not eco friendly.

'Morning wolf

You are right - no few people have expressed the same concerns. I don't swallow conspiracy theories at all easily, but I can see where people are coming from on this one - the UK govt. has lost the most incredible data: laptops with absolutely crucial information relating to anti-terrorist investigations, records of tens millions of peoples private contact details & National Insurance numbers to name but two examples. Unencrypted. And as I say, there are many many more examples.

Incompetence of monumental proportions or something sinister?

I take no comfort from the fact I still favour the former interpretation.








[edit on 23/8/08 by pause4thought]

reply to post by pause4thought


i had alreay made a topic on this

www.abovetopsecret.com...

oh well

Reply to bodrul


Sincere apologies, mate. Although it may just appear that way as my clock may not have been correctly calibrated. I thought I got the story up almost as soon as it appeared. Anyway, thanks for not kicking up a fuss. We seem to be getting some thoughtful responses in here.

What's your take on this mess? Maybe some loser at the top is just testing the water to see how far things can go before people start caring?