The Government’s reputation for protecting people’s sensitive electronic data has been dealt yet another blow with the revelation that the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) lost the records of 45,000 people.
The information included dates of birth, national insurance numbers, criminal records, and in a single incident, the loss of bank details and other information belonging to 27,000 people working for suppliers to the department.
In another case, officials lost an “inadequately protected” laptop storing the job applications of 13 people who were applying for judicial positions with the service.
The revelations in the department’s annual accounts come after similar blunders saw two CDs with the child benefit records of 25 million families lost in the post and the loss of 658 laptops by the Ministry of Defence.
In 30,000 cases the MoJ did not notify the people affected, judging that it did not need to do so after carrying out a risk assessment.
In January an “inadequately protected” laptop containing records of 14,000 fine defaulters including names, dates of birth, addresses, offences, and – in a fifth of cases – national insurance numbers, went missing from a “secured” government office.
In June 2007 records of 27,000 people working for suppliers to the MoJ, again kept on “inadequately protected” storage devices, were lost.
Two other laptops and several other storage devices were mislaid in 2007, leading to the loss of names, dates of birth and national insurance numbers of 145 court appellants, and the names of 138 criminals and the offences committed by them.
Liberal Democrat Justice spokesman David Howarth MP said: “Yet again the Government has shown that it cannot be trusted with citizens’ personal data.
“How can ministers possibly argue for the introduction of a universal ID Card scheme when they can’t even keep safe the data they already have.”
An MoJ spokesman said: “Risk assessments were carried out to assess who, if anyone, should be notified and to ensure measures were in place to mitigate risk to individuals and to prevent a recurrence of the incident.
“The dsepartment will continue to monitor and assess its information risks in order to identify and address any weaknesses and ensure continuous improvement of its systems.”
He said the ministry is planning to implement a dedicated information assurance programme to oversee and ensure that electronic information and documents are “managed, stored and disposed of in a manner that inspires high levels of parliamentary and public trust and confidence”.
In April the Information Commissioner said he was notified of 94 data breaches since the loss last year of the child benefit database – two thirds were committed by the Government and other public sector bodies.
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MOBILE broadband is enjoying explosive growth — with 511,000 laptop plug-ins sold in five months, says OFCOM.
The communications watchdog also revealed more than two million Brits have now used one of the “dongle” devices to plug into laptops for on-the-go internet.
More than one in ten mobile users have also accessed the web through their phone. And during 2007 the number of 3G mobile connections rose by 60 per cent to 12.5million subscribers.
As the UK’s use of communications services grows, users are being charged LESS, Ofcom revealed in its annual report out today.
The watchdog said the average UK household spent £93.63 a month on TV, radio, mobile phones, landlines and internet — down £1.53 a month on 2006.
This was despite huge increases elsewhere in the economy and a rise in the amount of time spent watching TV, listening to the radio, surfing the internet and using mobiles or landline phones.
The average Brit now spends seven hours and nine minutes a day on these activities — with TV and radio still the most popular pastimes.
Peter Phillips, Ofcom’s market development chief, said: “Our devotion to watching, listening and staying in touch wherever and whenever we want shows no sign of diminishing and, with healthy competition, overall prices offer increasing value for money.”
Ofcom’s report also highlights huge growth in digital and high-definition television.
It says the main TV in nearly nine in ten UK households is now digital — while, by March, 80 per cent of all sets being sold in Britain were equipped for high definition.
Meanwhile, by the end of last year, one in four homes had a digital video recorder allowing them to watch, pause and rewind live TV.
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THE Financial Services Authority yesterday slapped its fourth biggest fine, £5.6million, on the UK arm of banking giant CREDIT SUISSE for mis-pricing some securities.
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(ARA) – Today’s students gear up for back-to-school season by stocking up on expensive technology, from MP3 players to laptops. However, most students are unaware that dorm rooms and schools are some of the most dangerous places to store precious electronic equipment.
Dormitories and schools are among the top five places from which laptops are most likely to be stolen, reports Absolute Software, a firm specializing in computer theft recovery, data protection and asset tracking.
“Students have a false sense of security on campus,” says John Livingston, chief executive officer of Absolute Software. “Many students are bringing thousands of dollars of electronic equipment into their dorm rooms with little to no security precautions. It’s just open season for criminals.”
It’s not just the hardware costs that students need to be concerned about. Since these devices are often used for school work and personal computing as well as entertainment, losing a laptop can negatively impact academic performance or put a student at risk for identity theft. Students need to know how to protect themselves.
Computers now play multiple roles in a student’s life — notebook, library, photo album, stereo, television and telephone. Computers also serve as a primary means of communication for students with faculty, family and friends through e-mail, instant messaging and social networking sites. Protecting a computer is part common sense, part hardware and part software. Absolute Software offers these tips to students:
1. Use visual deterrents. A cable lock or other locking mechanism can act as a deterrent to would-be criminals. Although they can be ripped off the plastic exterior of a laptop with a strong tug, they do force some criminals to think twice before taking the risk.
2. Avoid leaving unsecured laptops unattended. Lock them in cabinets, safes or other secure facilities when not in use. If they must be left in a vehicle, they should be covered up or locked in the trunk.
3. Keep laptops inconspicuous. Laptops should always be carried in inconspicuous carrying cases, such as backpacks or tote bags, instead of tell-tale laptop bags.
4. Use complex passwords and change them regularly. Don’t use simple passwords that can be guessed easily. Always use a combination of numbers and letters and never leave your password in obvious places on or near the computer.
5. Leverage anti-virus software, encryption solutions, anti-spyware and firewalls. Prevent unauthorized access and spyware from invading your computer and protect valuable information with data encryption software. Make sure your systems are properly installed and kept up-to-date.
6. Back up valuable data on a scheduled basis. Data backup needs to happen as frequently as possible to minimize the risk in the event of theft or loss. The information or ”knowledge” that is stored on the computer is often more valuable than the computer itself.
7. Understand the dangers of pirated software and file sharing. Both piracy and over-deployment of purchased licenses can lead to significant lawsuits or other financial penalties. Not only is it illegal, but pirated software can increase susceptibility to viruses, Trojans and other attacks.
8. Check your insurance policy. In the event of a loss, some homeowner’s insurance policies will cover computers that are taken outside the home. If a student lives in a dormitory, renters insurance may be in order.
9. Use asset tracking and recovery software. Install an asset tracking and recovery tool such as Computrace LoJack for Laptops (www.lojackforlaptops.com) to track and recover a computer that is lost or stolen. Computrace LoJack for Laptops’ Student Edition includes remote data deletion capabilities, which significantly reduce the risk of identity theft if your laptop is stolen.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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BEDFORD — The Bedford Public Library is adding another spoke to its information hub.
With an increasing number of patrons seeking help finding jobs, legal aid, insurance, home foreclosure resources and continuing education, library staff are working this month to implement a plan to better direct people to the help they need.
“We underestimated how many people come to us for assistance,” said Library Director Susan Miller. “We spend quite a bit of time one-on-one.”
So, in addition to that one-on-one time, the library is seeking community partners — agencies and, eventually, volunteers — who can provide workshops, materials, Web links or other partnerships.
Miller said several local agencies have expressed interest, but she was waiting to hear back from key people before making specific plans public.
“We don’t want to become Ivy Tech or Workforce Development,” Miller said.
“We’re not doing it all, but trying to have information to direct people to.”
Help for job-seekers
The key issue is connecting job-seekers with employment — a process, says Library Adult Services Manager Mary Hall, that’s often derailed because of lack of computer skills. Many employers — even locally — require applications to be submitted online.
“So many, when they need to send a resume, and it says they have to attach it, walk over with a piece of paper to the computer,” Hall said. “The level is so high to get to from where they are.”
The plan calls for providing resume coaching and information on interviewing to patrons, and more training for library staff in navigating state and federal government job sites.
Ideally, Miller said, the downstairs program room will be set up as a job-seeker computer lab, outfitted with laptops and staff to answer questions. Having laptop computers there will allow the room to still be used for other programming.
The terminals in the current computer lab, Hall said, are often full.
“We had three waiting today at 10 a.m.,” she said Monday.
Network of answers
The second part of the plan is to update the library’s Web site with community aid resources — such as food banks, domestic violence services or small business development; and to host workshops on health and consumer issues.
A free program on home foreclosure last month drew 33 people, several of whom met with a housing counselor or housing attorney afterward, Miller said.
Other workshop topics could include nutrition, food preparation, shopping tips or home improvement.
Directing patrons to free legal aid, credit counseling, money management, subsidized child care and low-cost health insurance options also is part of the plan.
Living well on less
The plan also includes an aspect of “living on less and liking it,” Miller said.
Staff hope to offer workshops on recycling and refurbishing, “garage sale chic,” crafts for low-cost gifts and how to use online discounts and bartering.
And, as always, free programming will be available for families, with an added emphasis on intergenerational programs.
“People are already used to coming here for other things. This is just one more step,” Miller said.
“I can’t really think of anything we could do in the community that would be of better service.”
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Digital camera carrying cases may be cumbersome to some camera users but they can also be very useful for others. There are actually more advantages to using digital camera carrying cases compared to not using one.
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