A
Home
Office data disc has been found hidden under the keyboard of a laptop
purchased on
eBay.
Staff at Manchester-based computer reseller
Leapfrog
found the disc, labelled 'Home Office: Confidential', when the laptop was
brought in for repairs. The data was encrypted and staff informed the police.
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Leapfrog managing director Lee Bevan told
vnunet.com's sister title
CRN on 26
February, before the story broke nationally: "A customer brought in a laptop for
a standard repair.
"When one of my technical team began to dismantle the laptop he found lodged
underneath the keyboard a disc labelled 'Home Office: Confidential'. He came to
me with it and I called the police."
The location of the disc suggests that it may have been smuggled out of the
Home Office, but there is no information on the eBay seller.
"The public sector finally seems to be learning from repeated mistakes as the
laptop and disc were encrypted," said Brian Spector, general manager at
information security firm
Workshare.
The public sector finally seems to be learning from repeated mistakes
Brian Spector General manager, Workshare
"Unfortunately accidents like this are not going to stop so we can only hope
that other government departments follow the Home Office's lead and adopt full
disc encryption.
"Technology that will easily safeguard such confidential data is readily
available, and the public needs to know that the government is using it to
ensure that all the information it holds on its citizens is secure."
A spokeswoman for
Greater
Manchester Police said: "A laptop has been recovered. Inquiries are
continuing."
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