Craig 6703 Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 Confidential details of 15 million child benefit recipients are on a computer disc lost by HM Revenue and Customs, the BBC understands. The chairman of revenue and customs has, Paul Gray, has resigned. Revenue and Customs says it does not believe the records - names, addresses and bank accounts - have fallen into the wrong hands. Chancellor Alistair Darling is to give a Commons statement on "a major operational problem" at 1530 GMT. BBC political editor Nick Robinson said he understood ministers had been aware for nine to 10 days. Mr Darling is expected to outline the measures taken to protect those whose data has been lost. The resignation of Mr Gray was accepted because disks were transported in breach of rules governing data protection. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7103566.stm Jesus fucking wept!! What the hell is confidential information doing being stored on a disc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 11112 Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 unreal that something like this can happen. If it were stolen, that's understandable... but to "lose" them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radgina 1 Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 that's the "Inland Revenue" for you try working there !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smooth Operator 10 Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 (edited) Jesus Wept, a proud day for Civil Servants! Edited November 21, 2007 by Smooth Operator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 6703 Posted November 20, 2007 Author Share Posted November 20, 2007 Darling admits 25m records lost Two computer discs holding the personal details of all families in the UK with a child under 16 have gone missing. The Child Benefit data on them include name, address, date of birth, National Insurance number and, where relevant, bank details of 25m people. Chancellor Alistair Darling said there was no evidence the data had fallen into criminal hands - but urged people to monitor their bank accounts. The Conservatives described the incident as a "catastrophic" failure. In an emergency statement to MPs Mr Darling apologised for what he described as an "extremely serious failure on the part of HMRC to protect sensitive personal data entrusted to it in breach of its own guidelines". MPs gasped as Mr Darling told them: "The missing information contains details of all Child Benefit recipients: records for 25 million individuals and 7.25 million families. " The chancellor blamed mistakes by junior officials at HMRC, who he said ignored security procedures. "Two password protected discs containing a full copy of HMRC's entire data in relation to the payment of child benefit was sent to the NAO, by HMRC's internal post system operated by the courier TNT. The package was not recorded or registered. It appears the data has failed to reach the addressee in the NAO." "The police tell me that they have no reason to believe that this data has found its way into the wrong hands. The police are not aware of any evidence that it has been used for fraudulent purposes or criminal activity." The data was sent on 18 October and senior management at HMRC were told it was missing on 8 November and the chancellor on 10 November, said Mr Darling. Mr Darling said banks were adamant that they wanted as much time to prepare for his announcement as possible. He added: "If someone is the innocent victim of fraud as a result of this incident, people can be assured they have protection under the Banking Code so they will not suffer any financial loss as a result." Mr Darling said people should monitor their accounts "for any unusual activity". He also announced that the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which monitors HMRC, was likely to investigate the incident. It is the latest and by far the most serious of a string of missing data incidents at HM Revenue and Customs. HMRC chairman Paul Gray resigned earlier after the latest incident came to light. Shadow Chancellor George Osborne said: "Let us be clear about the scale of this catastrophic mistake - the names, the addresses and the dates of birth of every child in the country are sitting on two computer discs that are apparently lost in the post, and the bank account details and National Insurance numbers of ten million parents, guardians and carers have gone missing. "Half the country will be very anxious about the safety of their family and the security and the whole country will be wondering how on earth the government allowed this to happen." He urged the government to "get a grip" and deliver a basic level of competence and said it was the "final blow for the ambitions of this government to create a national ID database". "They simply can not be trusted with people's personal information," added Mr Osborne. Liberal Democrat Acting Leader Vince Cable said it was now the Treasury and not the Home Office that was "not fit for purpose". "Why does HMRC still use CDs for data transmission in this day and age? The ancient museum pieces it is currently using for computing must be replaced. "After this disaster how can the public possibly have confidence in the vast centralised databases needed for the compulsory ID card scheme. "Where does the buck stop after this catalogue of disasters?" Giving his reaction, the Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, said: "This is an extremely serious and disturbing security breach." Mr Thomas welcomed the Chancellor's announcement of an independent review of the incident by Kieran Poynter of PricewaterhouseCoopers and said he would decide on further action once he has received the report. "Searching questions need to be answered about systems, procedures and human error inside both HMRC and NAO," said Mr Thomas. The prime minister's official spokeswoman said Gordon Brown has "full confidence" in Mr Darling. She added that Mr Darling has not offered to resign. Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7103566.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetleftpeg 0 Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 Have they tried behind the settee? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 6703 Posted November 20, 2007 Author Share Posted November 20, 2007 The ID card system is 'safe and secure' in their hands you know..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasepud 59 Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 All I can say is its total lunacy the way this "disc" was produced and issued. That is, if the official statement is true. However, from what ive read its a catalogue of errors and stupidity to even think its a good idea to create a copy of the data and send it via the bog standard internal post to a random person in NAO! A lot of work has gone on in the past couple of days however to review all possible procedures and data transfers we do to make them more secure and at the moment theres a total block on anything going anywhere until we can be sure its sorted properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazarus 0 Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 All I can say is its total lunacy the way this "disc" was produced and issued. That is, if the official statement is true. However, from what ive read its a catalogue of errors and stupidity to even think its a good idea to create a copy of the data and send it via the bog standard internal post to a random person in NAO! A lot of work has gone on in the past couple of days however to review all possible procedures and data transfers we do to make them more secure and at the moment theres a total block on anything going anywhere until we can be sure its sorted properly. Pud - is it true they were sent in a grid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jusoda Kid 1 Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 All I can say is its total lunacy the way this "disc" was produced and issued. That is, if the official statement is true. However, from what ive read its a catalogue of errors and stupidity to even think its a good idea to create a copy of the data and send it via the bog standard internal post to a random person in NAO! A lot of work has gone on in the past couple of days however to review all possible procedures and data transfers we do to make them more secure and at the moment theres a total block on anything going anywhere until we can be sure its sorted properly. Pud - is it true they were sent in a grid? I don't doubt it for a minute Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasepud 59 Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 All I can say is its total lunacy the way this "disc" was produced and issued. That is, if the official statement is true. However, from what ive read its a catalogue of errors and stupidity to even think its a good idea to create a copy of the data and send it via the bog standard internal post to a random person in NAO! A lot of work has gone on in the past couple of days however to review all possible procedures and data transfers we do to make them more secure and at the moment theres a total block on anything going anywhere until we can be sure its sorted properly. Pud - is it true they were sent in a grid? I 'believe' so, Im not involved in any way so couldnt comment properly but thats the word going round that basically someone created a copy of the data stuck it on two CDs and then put em in a grid addressed it to "Mr Bloggs, NAO, London" and dropped it in the out tray! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RlCO 0 Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 Finally a minister resigns. This was a monumental fuckup If ever I saw one. Total stupidity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 6703 Posted November 20, 2007 Author Share Posted November 20, 2007 It's fucking disgusting to be honest. I'm fully expecting a full-scale panic from people going overboard and insisting their bank account numbers are changed as well which is only going to make matters worse... The Tories are loving this but as critical as I am about some of the goverment schemes brought in / proposed under Labour (e.g. CSA & ID Cards), I fail to see how they can really hold Alistair Darling accountable. It is the latest error in a long line of fuck ups though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 11112 Posted November 20, 2007 Share Posted November 20, 2007 I heard it was TNT that lost the disks not HMRC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo 175 Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 I heard it was TNT that lost the disks not HMRC. Either way, should such sensitive information be dispatched in such an insecure manner ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasepud 59 Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 I heard it was TNT that lost the disks not HMRC. Its believed so, but we dont have any record of it going to TNT it was sent through normal day to day internal courier ie not recorded or registered. Which sounds as Laz was saying as if its been put in a "grid" and dropped in an out tray for a messenger to pick up and pass to TNT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddy 17 Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 i blame souness tbh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fop 1 Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 I heard it was TNT that lost the disks not HMRC. Either way, should such sensitive information be dispatched in such an insecure manner ? Should it even be copyable in such an insecure manner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smooth Operator 10 Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 I like how the chief of HMRC has resigned, Alastair Darling is under pressure to resign and the member of staff will be getting their performance bonus at the end of the month!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jusoda Kid 1 Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 Wouldn't suprise me if it hasn't even been sent, probably sitting in some AA's draw somewhere, Thats what i used to do with anything that was given to me, until I fancied doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Marvin 0 Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 This is the reason mistakes are done everyone excluding wacky,for some insane reason somehow got a job there, should be sacked because you lot spend more time here poncing around shame on you,s and now the poor country is suffering because of you's lot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jusoda Kid 1 Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 I'd put money on them being in someone's drawer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasepud 59 Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 I'd put money on them being in someone's drawer. Highly unlikely now, seeing as how the Met Police broke open every drawer in the place over the weekend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jusoda Kid 1 Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 I'd put money on them being in someone's drawer. Highly unlikely now, seeing as how the Met Police broke open every drawer in the place over the weekend Haven't heard much Pud. Where did they do that? Longbenton? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasepud 59 Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 I'd put money on them being in someone's drawer. Highly unlikely now, seeing as how the Met Police broke open every drawer in the place over the weekend Haven't heard much Pud. Where did they do that? Longbenton? Nah, Washington office, lad I work with his missus works there and she came in Monday and thought they'd been burgled, everthing was open and stuff missing with receipts on desks for anything taken away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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