MoJ fined £140K for EMAILING privates of 1,000 inmates

The files don't need to be encrypted....

...sticking it on a floppy is protection enough. After all, how do you read from one of those things again? I tried putting it in my "combo" drive and it made a horrible noise as I slammed the drawer shut.

Govt fines itself - taxpayer pays additional cost of process

But is the Permanent Secretary or other "Senior" "Responsible" officer going to take any pain?

Answers on a postcard or unencrypted email to be left in a pub toilet. Closing date: the week after the publication of MoJ performance bonuses

Secure file transfer?

"The only way the information can be transferred from the Quantum system to the biometrics system is to carry out a ‘profile dump’ of all inmate details. The transfer is done at the start of each day by the booking clerk who locates the text file via Windows Explorer on the Quantum system and then, using the ‘copy and paste’ function, places the file on an unencrypted floppy disc.

The disc with the copy file is then removed from Quantum and physically placed in the biometric system to load the copy file to facilitate the update, which takes place by checking for differences between that file and the biometric system’s own database. Following the transfer the copy file is erased from the disc. The disc is then stored securely in a locked drawer."

http://www.ico.org.uk/news/latest_news/2013/~/media/documents/library/Data_Protection/Notices/moj-monetary-penalty-notice-20131015.pdf

Good Grief!

"A floppy disc is no longer used. In its place an encrypted memory stick is used for the data transfer. The method used for placing the data on the USB stick is to locate the text file and use the ‘send to’ function, not the ‘copy and paste’ method.

Therefore the file is not retained on the ‘clipboard’, which the data controller considered to be a key factor in this case. Following the successful update, the PC used to copy the file is rebooted to clear any temporary files and this is checked by trying a ‘paste’ in a Word document"

Excuse me sir!

"Bit of a cock-up on the clerical front. Do you mind if we come in and have a little chat with you about your responsibility to delete the aforesaid clerically cocked up stuff?"

"Good consternoon afterble, by all means, do bumble in, Occifer."

"We wuzh jusht 'avin' a liddle afshternoons refrejmunts. S'not aginst der law izzit?".

"Ha, ha - ha ha".

(Cue much merriment at no. 23 Acacia Avenue - curtains twitching left right and centre)

"And afjter oll, if you've got somethin' wrong, you've done somethin' to hide." (Burp!)

(Wide eyed loon smile from Mrs. Parker [Nosey to her friends, but that's just because of her rather large facial appendage]).

"Come in. Come in!".

Officer Afterble bumbles upstairs to the familial computer viewing wing of the house.

Little Milly and little Billy are gathered around the screen. Eyes agog, mouths ajar. Motionless, save for a slight almost imperceptible shake. Body temperatures slightly lowered. Faint bluish tinge to lips. (It's true what they say - you never forget your first bodily mutilation video - but there'll be plenty of time for sweet reminiscing later on in their little lives)

"We wuzh juzt washing one of dem der dee dee capitation viddyos, Occifer. On zer gud book".

"Snot againsht da lawz izzit?".

"Ha ha, ee eeh." (Cough, hackup and splutter - gobules hitting the screen where poor old Ahmed Amrilliwollah's head used to be, making him look as if he has [or rather had] an extremely bad case of the Afghani Flu)

"Ah, hum yes", proffers Occifer Afterble. "I mean, No, no. Not against the law. Not yet, anyway".

(Not until you start enjoying it too much anyway, he silently thinks to himself, but thinks better of saying out loud)

He faintly smiles.

He persists:

"Yes, I understand you were recently sent something by mistake...."

"Oh fuck it, I will have that drink after all - make it a double 'n all!"

----------------------------------------------

Can anyone else see what is wrong with this picture?

Just what have we come to? Really. What have we become?

Is there any fucking hope at all for humanity at this point?