Posted by Gareth Cutter on 24th August 2009 to
Backup News Repair Management Services of Blackburn need to shift their data protection policies up a gear or two after losing a laptop computer containing the personal details of 37,000 people - including 1,900 criminal convictions. The data was password protected but had no data encryption.
Repair Management Services has promised the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to improve its data security measures and train its staff accordingly. As a result, the ICO has decided not to serve an Enforcement Act. However, the ICO acknowledged that “in this case, (the breach) also involved the details of criminal convictions which, if accessed, could potentially result in distress being caused to the individuals concerned."
All businesses need to invest in appropriate data protection procedures, including data backup and to train their staff to observe them to the letter. Otherwise, they may soon find themselves being ‘pulled over’ for a costly and potentially damaging mistake.
