Security alert as UK laptops go missing
p2pnet news | Security:- A potentially massive security scandal is erupting in Britain where three laptops containing unencrypted information have vanished from the MoD since 2005.
A further 69 laptops and seven PCs have also gone walkabout, British minister of defence Des Browne has admitted.
The extent of the "lack of security surrounding MoD computers containing un-encrypted information" came to light as Browne , "announced an inquiry into the latest theft: a laptop containing information on 600,000 people – recruits and those who had expressed an interest in joining the armed forces – which was stolen from a naval officer’s car earlier this month," says Guardian Unlimited, going on:
"Browne told MPs there was no reason to believe the laptop had been targeted for the data it held, though he said the MoD ‘cannot wholly discount this’. He said the data included passport, National Insurance and driver’s licence numbers, family details, and NHS numbers for about 153,000 people who applied to join the armed forces and banking details of around 3,700."
This laptop was apparently stolen in Birmingham.
"Browne said two more laptops holding unencrypted information on at least 500 people had been stolen since 2005. A Royal Navy laptop was stolen from a car in Manchester in October 2006 and an army laptop was stolen from a careers office in Edinburgh in December 2005," says the story.
Says The Register:
Des Browne told Parliament yesterday: "The level of encryption used by the Ministry of Defence on its computers is stronger than that used for commercial applications and our IT authorities judge that a significant amount of time, resources, and particular expertise would be needed to access the data in a readable format."
Which would be reassuring if the MOD had in fact encrypted the data.
The MOD, "will now write to 3,700 people whose bank details were on the laptop and to the 153,000 people who applied to join the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, and the Royal Air Force," says story.
"Their records contained much more information including passport details, National Insurance numbers, driving licence details, and doctors’ addresses."
Browne said hough the laptop stolen in Birmingham – containing the names of recruits and those expressing interest in the navy, marines, and RAF – had been stolen on January 9, "ministers were only told the data was [sic] not encrypted on January 14," according to Guardian Unlimited.
Also See:-
Guardian Unlimited – MoD admits inquiry into 69 lost laptops, January 22, 2008
The Register – MoD coughs to laptop triple whammy, January 22, 2008
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