A major security breach at Essex County Council has exposed 400 vulnerable people to identity theft and led to the dismissal of an employee.
Names, addresses and financial information about people in “substantial” and “critical” need of care were sent from the Adults Health and Community Wellbeing Department to a computer outside of County Hall.
A council staff member was sacked following the breach, which was reported to Essex Police and the Government’s Information Commissioner.
Read more on Essex Chronicle.
In this case, it doesn’t seem that there was malicious intent on the employee’s part, but there’s been no explanation of what the motivation was. On a positive note, the council’s own audit picked up the problem.