BBC reports: Thirty staff at West Midlands Police have been investigated for a string of data protection breaches since 2009, new figures have revealed. Seven of those were dismissed without notice or resigned following the accusations, the force said. A further five were given final written warnings, while nine received management advice. Read more on…
Category: Government Sector
UK: Police officers suspended in crackdown on illegal snooping
David Leask reports: Dozens of Scottish police officers are under criminal investigation in a clampdown on data breaches involving the force computer system. A total of 43 officers have been put on to restricted duties and another officer has been suspended, solely because of allegations of illegally accessing confidential information. Read more on Herald Scotland….
MN: Former state employee who led ID theft ring gets 4.5 years
Emily Gurnon reports: A former state Department of Labor and Industry worker was sentenced Friday to 4-1/2 years in prison for her role in a broad identity-theft ring. Roxanne Kay DeFlorin was the last of four defendants sentenced in Ramsey County District Court in the scheme, which included DeFlorin’s theft of identities from her job….
Asylum data breach: Immigration Department sends apology letter
Oliver Laughland provides the update: The Department of Immigration is writing to asylum seekers detained across Australia to inform them their personal details were publicly disclosed in a massive data breach, with sources alleging the department is coercing them to sign for receipt of the letter. In February Guardian Australia revealed almost 10,000 asylum seekers had…
NYC transit agency has data breach
AP reports: The personal information of approximately 15,000 New York City Transit Authority workers has been found on a compact disc inside a refurbished computer sold by a retailer. Authorities are investigating how the CD found its way into the computer drive. Read more on My San Antonio.
UK: Thames Valley police face fine for officers’ £800-a-head claims scam
Steven Morris provides another update to a breach previously covered on this blog: A police force faces a fine from the information commissioner and compensation claims from thousands of motorists after an officer stole accident victims’ details from a police computer and sold them on to personal injury solicitors. Sugra Hanif, a constable with Thames Valley police, was jailed…