Comments on: Whoops! UK government forgets how to transfer data, mails CDs with 25m people’s private details http://futurismic.com/2007/11/22/whoops-uk-government-forgets-how-to-transfer-data-mails-cds-with-25m-peoples-private-details/ Presenting the fact and fiction of tomorrow since 2001 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:07:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Jeremy Eades http://futurismic.com/2007/11/22/whoops-uk-government-forgets-how-to-transfer-data-mails-cds-with-25m-peoples-private-details/comment-page-1/#comment-8402 Jeremy Eades Wed, 28 Nov 2007 13:24:19 +0000 http://futurismic.com/2007/11/22/whoops-uk-government-forgets-how-to-transfer-data-mails-cds-with-25m-peoples-private-details/#comment-8402 You'd be amazed at what people have access to, even at low levels. I was a summer temp worker at a mortgage company with no experience and no reason to be trusted and had access to thousands of credit reports and personal information. On the other hand, it does seem rather convenient to have an unnamed 'junior official' be the culprit. It's probably more like he asked his boss, who threw some glib comment to make him go away, and the rest is history. You’d be amazed at what people have access to, even at low levels. I was a summer temp worker at a mortgage company with no experience and no reason to be trusted and had access to thousands of credit reports and personal information.

On the other hand, it does seem rather convenient to have an unnamed ‘junior official’ be the culprit. It’s probably more like he asked his boss, who threw some glib comment to make him go away, and the rest is history.

]]> By: Bob Dowling http://futurismic.com/2007/11/22/whoops-uk-government-forgets-how-to-transfer-data-mails-cds-with-25m-peoples-private-details/comment-page-1/#comment-7794 Bob Dowling Sun, 25 Nov 2007 10:44:41 +0000 http://futurismic.com/2007/11/22/whoops-uk-government-forgets-how-to-transfer-data-mails-cds-with-25m-peoples-private-details/#comment-7794 I'm unconvinced by the "junior official" line. A junior should not have had the authority to download the whole database in the first place. There's a senior official lurking in this story somewhere who either authorised the download, or who mis-set the permissions on the database, or who did the download and gave the data to a junior for posting. The official story stinks of scapegoating (among other bad odours). I’m unconvinced by the “junior official” line. A junior should not have had the authority to download the whole database in the first place. There’s a senior official lurking in this story somewhere who either authorised the download, or who mis-set the permissions on the database, or who did the download and gave the data to a junior for posting.

The official story stinks of scapegoating (among other bad odours).

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