Nov 21 2007
Britain Loses Data for 25 Million People
LONDON, Nov. 21 - Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain apologized today for a security breach that resulted in the loss of millions of Britons’ bank account details and other personal data and has raised the specter of financial fraud on a massive scale.
Security experts described it as the largest incident of its kind in Europe, though surpassed by several data leaks in the United States.
The data went astray when two computer discs from the tax authorities were lost in the mail last month. The discs contained information on 25 million people — or nearly half the British population — from families that receive a government financial benefit for children.
The information included details like names, addresses and national insurance numbers — the British equivalent of social security numbers — as well as similar information on almost every child under 16 in Britain. The discs were sent using a private parcel delivery firm, and were apparently protected by a password but were not encrypted.
This article appeared in The New York Times and was written By ERIC PFANNER - Published: November 22, 2007
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