DataBreaches.Net

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

Personal details sent to the wrong family in data security breach

Posted on March 31, 2010 by Dissent

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has found The Highland Council to be in breach of the Data Protection Act after personal data relating to several members of one family was inadvertently disclosed to another unrelated individual. The data contained sensitive information including data relating to the physical and mental health of individuals.

The incident occurred after several members of the two different families submitted subject access requests to the council at around the same time. The officer who usually dealt with these requests went on leave before the full responses had been sent and the covering officer was not aware that there was more than one outstanding request from someone in that particular village.

Alistair Dodds, Chief Executive of the Highland Council, has signed an official Undertaking to ensure a similar breach does not occur again. The Highland Council has committed to providing any covering officers with a full brief on any outstanding subject access requests. In addition, a formal log of all subject access requests is to be maintained to ensure these briefings can take place. The log should have sufficient detail to allow individual requests from those with the same surname to be clearly identified.

Ken Macdonald Assistant Commissioner for the ICO in Scotland, said: “It is important that those handling individuals’ data are fully informed and aware of how to protect personal sensitive information. Protecting personal data must be a corporate priority for organizations and it is essential that staff communicate with each other effectively.”

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

The ICO’s Data Protection Guide can be viewed here:
http://www.ico.gov.uk/for_organisations/data_protection_guide.aspx

Source: Information Commissioner’s Office

Can you imagine if every mistaken mailing incident like this led to a government investigation here?

No related posts.

Category: Breach IncidentsExposureGovernment SectorNon-U.S.Paper

Post navigation

← Michigan identity theft suspects targeting Meijer are linked to Russian crime ring
Three Rivers reports possible data breach →

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

  • Five youths arrested on suspicion of phishing
  • Russia Jailed Hacker Who Worked for Ukrainian Intelligence to Launch Cyberattacks on Critical Infrastructure
  • Kentfield Hospital victim of cyberattack by World Leaks, patient data involved
  • India’s Max Financial says hacker accessed customer data from its insurance unit
  • Brazil’s central bank service provider hacked, $140M stolen
  • Iranian and Pro-Regime Cyberattacks Against Americans (2011-Present)
  • Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to International Fraud Scheme that Defrauded Elderly U.S. Victims
  • Nova Scotia Power Data Breach Exposed Information of 280,000 Customers
  • No need to hack when it’s leaking: Brandt Kettwick Defense edition
  • SK Telecom to be fined for late data breach report, ordered to waive cancellation fees, criminal investigation into them launched

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

  • On July 7, Gemini AI will access your WhatsApp and more. Learn how to disable it on Android.
  • German court awards Facebook user €5,000 for data protection violations
  • Record-Breaking $1.55M CCPA Settlement Against Health Information Website Publisher
  • Ninth Circuit Reviews Website Tracking Class Actions and the Reach of California’s Privacy Law
  • US healthcare offshoring: Navigating patient data privacy laws and regulations
  • Data breach reveals Catwatchful ‘stalkerware’ is spying on thousands of phones
  • Google Trackers: What You Can Actually Escape And What You Can’t

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.