Head of HMRC Resigns ahead of commons statement today Re details of 15 MILLION child benefit claims on lost disc

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

bbc news

well yeah how many weeks did it take to download this info

it is pretty weird that it couldn't just be sent electronically that is what computers are for isn't it

and how come they didn't balls up the download

on bbc breakfast we were alerted to the dreadful possibility that much worse than ordinary families being put at risk of idnetity fraud CELEBRITIES' DETAILS would be on it too

WWMC - fraid so. I did say it was a blunt tool!

Afaik, this information was never supposed to be sent anywhere in the first place. The people who needed to see it, the NAO, were supposed to view it on the HMRC's own secure system.

I'm actually more worried about the security of the children involved in this than I am about the fraud.

I hate people knowing personal information about my family, you never know who might get hold of it, years into the future.

eliza2 - that was my first thought as well

Completely agree eliza2 - I shred absolutely everything that comes into our house that has even a name on it. They keep on banging on about how the banks are going to be vigilant and how we don't need to worry, but I'm very worried about someone using this information to get a copy of a birth certificate in the future. Identity fraud can cause untold misery and take years to sort out.

Does anyone know if anything has been said about the proposed Children's Database? I was already feeling v uneasy about it but am now ready to march on Downing Street to prevent my children's details being included!

Anyone?

Piffle- no doubt they'r right (and I am sure entiely due to the fact my wonderful Dh was transferred out with the take over just before ... LOL....)

it's shocking, the whole thing: from the idiocy of the individual who sent a complete DB by courier, to the system architecture which allows the said DB to be dumped in its entirety into CDs, by any member of staff.
There is a strong case for personal responsibility here. I am really amazed at how someone who presumably is aware of the importance of personal data privacy and should have been briefed on the DPA before doing any work in that institution, can do such a stupid thing. Unbelievable.

anyone seen this??

thanks urbandryad - having awful day here - you've cheered me up

I suppose it was only a matter of time!

But seriously speaking, surely this stuff should have been encrypted and emailed or something? I'm probably repeating a previous post, though.

that is funny

lol urbandryad, made my day x

Eliza2, you're right. Such data should have never left the building in physical media that can be taken out of a secure area. A junior official shouldn't have had the database permissions to a) access the whole db b) dump it into CDs.
I would have thought they have heard of VPNs??????
I think anybody who was aware that this method was used to transfer data between locations should be sacked.
Amazing.

I hope all of this will put any debate about IDs to rest

I hope all of this will put any debate about IDs to rest

Eliza2 - I would expect the information comisssioner will be interested to know why hrmc felt they needed to send everybody's details - I mean can you think why all should be sent - it definately looks contrary to the data protection policies refarding only using the info you absolutely need to - I mean what was the NAO going to do with everybodys details anyway?

Hmm strangely enough PaulaPB, I feel I have got some extra protection 'cos my spanish ID card...

... but I do agree that UK ID cards are somehow out of the picture at least for a while.

I wouldn't worry about your child's details.

After all, every time your kid joins a swim class, starts a new school you give out their date of birth, name and address. It'll be on the electoral register too.

Hmm... mind you... given how schools are reluctant to even give class lists out so you can write Christmas cards citing "Data Protection Act", then it puts the government in even worse light, doesn't it?

Bonita: ID cards on the continent do not have the centralised database system that is being proposed here. It's the database, not the piece of plastic that is the danger.

Those that do (Belgium, for example) keep the database highly encrypted, don't have as much info as ours is proposing (up to 50 pieces of different information) and don't allow any tom dick or junior officer access i.e. it's locally stored and no data-sharing allowed. Our scheme is to make that information accessible to many different people - a security NIGHTMARE.

Interestingly, they sell identity theft insurance in America. Policy offers to sort out any problems arising from theft of your identity (supposedly hugely time consuming/frustrating to do it yourself by calling banks, credit card companies etc), and also to pay any financial losses up to $20k (about £10k).

Anyone heard of that type insurance being offered in the UK? Potentially alot of people may need that sort of assistance after a blunder of this size.

Yes, America has a huge identity theft problem - because they rely on one form of ID rather than multiple forms that we currently use in this country (until the ID card replaces that, of course).