High Profile Cases | NETconsent in the News | Press Releases | News Stories 2007
Official who left terror files on train to be charged
The Telegraph 29/09/2008
A senior intelligence official is to be charged under the Official Secrets Act after leaving highly sensitive documents on a train. Read Full Story
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Home Office axes company that lost criminal data
The Guardian 12/09/2008
PA Consulting loses £1.5m deal after it mislaid details of 84,000 prisoners in England and Wales. Read Full Story
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Stockbroking firm fined £77,000 for weak data security controls
FSA/PN/058/2008 17/06/2008
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has fined Merchant Securities Group Limited (Merchant Securities) for not adequately protecting its customers from the risk of identity fraud. This is the first time the FSA has fined a stockbroking firm for weak data security controls. Read Full Story
According to the penalty notice served by the FSA, "back-up tapes containing unencrypted customer information were stored overnight in a bag at the home of a member of staff." There was also a failure to implement adequate controls "to mitigate the risk of customers' personal data being transmitted outside the firm by failing to prevent the use of instant messaging and web-based email"
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FSA fines three mortgage brokers for poor mortgage sales procedures
FSA/PN/043/2008 22/05/2008
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has fined three mortgage brokers for inadequate sales procedures which meant they could not demonstrate that they had recommended affordable mortgage contracts that met their clients’ needs. Read Full Story
The FSA has fined Peter Scott trading as the Mortgage House (Peter Scott) £11,900. A key finding: Peter Scott did not have a sufficiently clear understanding of the regulatory requirements imposed by the FSA aimed at ensuring he gave affordable and suitable advice.
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Professor warned for revealing student's details
The Guardian 15/05/2008
A senior academic at Lancaster University has received a written warning for making "illicit disclosures" after he responded to a mother's complaint about her son's tuition. Read Fully Story
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DWP staff ignoring new data protection rules
Heise Online 12/05/2008
Despite beefed up security policies at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), staff have continued to transmit password-protected data together with passwords, according to what appears to be an internal email leaked to a web site last week. Read the full story
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Data protection was breached at local school
Oldham Advertiser 07/05/2008
RED-FACED council bosses have been forced to apologise to parents after a security breach allowed web access to data concerning their children. Read the full story
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192 HMRC staff disciplined
House of Commons 30/04/2008
MP Jane Kennedy (Secretary to the Treasury) said “During the year ended 31 December 2007, 192 HMRC staff - from a headcount of just over 90,000 - were disciplined or dismissed for inappropriate access to personal or sensitive data” Read Full Text
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Skipton Financial Services breaches Data Protection Act
Computing 21/02/2008
Unencrypted laptop contained names and financial details of 14,000 customers Read the full story
"Companies must introduce adequate security procedures and safeguards." says Mick Gorrill, assistant commissioner at the information commissioner's office.
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BlackBerrys squashed by Whitehall data ban - PDAs and mobiles withdrawn during crackdown
Silicon.com 04/02/2008
Government BlackBerrys and PDAs have been grounded by the Whitehall-wide ban on the movement of unencrypted personal data. Read the full story
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M&S breached Data Protection Act
Computing 25/01/2008
Watchdog rules loss of 26,000 employees' details on unencrypted laptop breaks the law (Tom Young) Read the full story
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Renewed calls to criminalise data loss
Computing, 24/01/2008
MPs put pressure on government following revelations of more lost data (Parliamentary reporter)
Read the full story
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Head banker leaves job over Muslim gaffe
OUT-LAW News 08/01/2008
A senior banking industry figure has left his job after making a joke about Muslims which reportedly stunned colleagues and was the subject of complaints. Marc Howells of Barclaycard Europe has left his post.
Read the full story
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BA fine underlines need for strict policies, says expert
OUT-LAW News 02/01/2008
BA fine underlines need for strict policies, says expert OUT-LAW News, 02/08/2007 British Airways has been fined £269 million by UK and US competition authorities for fuel surcharge price fixing
Read the full story
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