DataBreaches.Net

Menu
  • About
  • Breach Notification Laws
  • Privacy Policy
  • Transparency Report
Menu

UK: ATL agrees to improve information security after thousands of union members’ personal details are stolen

Posted on February 1, 2010 by Dissent

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has found the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) in breach of the Data Protection Act after a laptop and memory stick were reported lost or stolen, containing the personal details of over 6,000 union members.

The laptop was the property of the ATL and contained the personal details of 6,282 union members; it was not encrypted but was password protected. The memory stick, which was not password protected or encrypted, belonged to a staff member and contained 3,366 of the same records on the laptop. Both devices, which included some sensitive personal data, were either lost or stolen from the roadside as an ATL member was packing his car.

ATL General Secretary, Mary Bousted, has now signed an Undertaking to ensure that by 28 February 2010 all portable and mobile devices used to store and transmit personal details are encrypted. The Undertaking also requires a review of the policy covering the transfer and storage of personal data. Staff will need to be made aware of this policy and prohibited from storing personal information on their own memory sticks.

Sally Anne-Poole, Head of Enforcement at the ICO, said: “I encourage organisations to prevent staff from downloading large amounts of personal data. It is vital that portable devices, including laptops and memory sticks are encrypted if they are used to store personal information. Staff members should not be allowed to keep people’s personal details, especially sensitive personal information, on their own memory sticks. I am pleased that the ATL is taking remedial steps to prevent a similar situation occurring again.”

A full copy of the Undertaking can be viewed here:
http://www.ico.gov.uk/what_we_cover/data_protection/enforcement.aspx

Source: Information Commissioner’s Office

Category: Lost or MissingMiscellaneousNon-U.S.Theft

Post navigation

← HIPAA complaints decreased significantly in 2009
CA: Credit card scammer pleads guilty →

Now more than ever

"Stand with Ukraine:" above raised hands. The illustration is in blue and yellow, the colors of Ukraine's flag.

Search

Browse by Categories

Recent Posts

  • New evidence links long-running hacking group to Indian government
  • Zaporizhzhia Cyber ​​Police Exposes Hacker Who Caused Millions in Losses to Victims by Mining Cryptocurrency
  • Germany fines Vodafone $51 million for privacy, security breaches
  • Google: Hackers target Salesforce accounts in data extortion attacks
  • The US Grid Attack Looming on the Horizon
  • US govt login portal could be one cyberattack away from collapse, say auditors
  • Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Aggravated Identity Theft and Computer Hacking Crimes
  • 100,000 UK taxpayer accounts hit in £47m phishing attack on HMRC
  • CISA Alert: Updated Guidance on Play Ransomware
  • Almost one year later, U.S. Dermatology Partners is still not being very transparent about their 2024 breach

No, You Can’t Buy a Post or an Interview

This site does not accept sponsored posts or link-back arrangements. Inquiries about either are ignored.

And despite what some trolls may try to claim: DataBreaches has never accepted even one dime to interview or report on anyone. Nor will DataBreaches ever pay anyone for data or to interview them.

Want to Get Our RSS Feed?

Grab it here:

https://databreaches.net/feed/

RSS Recent Posts on PogoWasRight.org

  • How the FBI Sought a Warrant to Search Instagram of Columbia Student Protesters
  • Germany fines Vodafone $51 million for privacy, security breaches
  • Malaysia enacts data sharing rules for public sector
  • U.S. Enacts Take It Down Act
  • 23andMe Bankruptcy Judge Ponders Trump Bill’s Injunction Impact
  • Hell No: The ODNI Wants to Make it Easier for the Government to Buy Your Data Without Warrant
  • US State Dept. says silence or anonymity on social media is suspicious

Have a News Tip?

Email: Tips[at]DataBreaches.net

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

Contact Me

Email: info[at]databreaches.net

Mastodon: Infosec.Exchange/@PogoWasRight

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

DMCA Concern: dmca[at]databreaches.net
© 2009 – 2025 DataBreaches.net and DataBreaches LLC. All rights reserved.