back to article Human error to blame as UK data breach investigations surge

UK data breach investigations within the financial services industry almost trebled over the last two years, according to figures acquired via a Freedom of Information request to the Information Commissioner’s Office, with human error almost always responsible. The 183 per cent rise in reported Data Protection Act (DPA) …

  1. Ru'

    "...inadvertently sent..." yeah, right!

  2. Rol

    Plan A isn't working, so here's plan 9

    The bods at the Data Protection agency set up a unique fictitious account with every organisation they have registered.

    When, (and not if) the usual avalanche of crap arrives, then the good folk of DP will have all the proof they need to shoot the data breachers like dogs in the street.

  3. Chris Evans

    "inadvertently sent sensitive financial information

    "Bank of England was revealed to have inadvertently sent sensitive financial information regarding contingency plans if the UK left the EU"

    I can't see what was sensitive, more detailed reports say all that was revealed was that a plan was being worked on!

    So the only slightly news worthy part is that they sent a non important email to the wrong person.

    It would have been very news worthy if it revealed they weren't working on a contingency plan.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    menage a government

    .. fines of up to 2% of annual turnover....

    That makes me feel so much better when my data is lost, Angela Merkel or (who-the-f**k-ever) definitely needs the cash more than those wronged?

  5. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Unhappy

    Now the BoE file I'd *really* like to see

    Is the one where they discuss contingency plans for letting a high street bank fail and mopping up afterward. No bailouts, just advice on CV and intereview preparation (which quite a few of these people won't have done since they were hired).

    Anyone remember what Margaret Thatcher said about the NCB, British Steel? BL? Inmos?

    "No lame ducks."

    I suggest that includes banks.

    I think it's quite predictable one or more UK banks will fail again in the future. Some clever person will come up with another way to turn the cash reserves they are meant to hold for emergencies into things that look like a cash reserve (to the BoE rules) but actually let them lend it out to some bunch of chancers who have some high return (but very high risk) plan to make huge profits by the equivalent of lending mortages to crack heads.

    I trust everyone here can figure out what happens next.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Now the BoE file I'd *really* like to see

      I think Ted Heath quoted "lame ducks" first in reference to the Upper Clyde shipyards - which eventually his government had to bail out.

      http://www.theglasgowstory.com/image/?inum=TGSG00059

  6. Apptifred

    Email is as secure as a postcard

    Sure, they sent it by mistake to the wrong recipient. But using email at all!!!

    Email is a secure as a postcard.

  7. Graham Marsden

    As HAL 9000 put it...

    ... "This sort of thing has cropped up before, and it has always been due to human error."

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon

Other stories you might like