Posts by Warren Free

Lost laptop exposes thousands of pension records

Not a care about the laptop. All we care about is the data

The comments on here are interesting as they show that all anyone really cares about is the data on the device, not the device itself.

The data in this case isn't protected by encryption, just a password. But knowing the data is on the device, would it make any difference to the peoples perceptions that their private data is on that device?

Surely knowing the data has been removed from the device would be a lot better? Utilising the internet or mobile phone networks you can receive this reassurance through a tool like BackStopp. The data is removed and a report is made available detailing the removal of such data. What price would the company in question pay for that functionality now?

What's wrong with a Twitter degree?

Not a great course idea but..

I graduated from UCE as it was back then and I am doing ok for myself.

I believe it's an MA because it is looking at Media (which for some bizarre reason is classed as an Art) and not the computing aspect of it.

£4k is a lot of money for something that should probably be included in a Marketing MA.

Arrest made over data-stuffed eBay laptop hard drive

How do they get on eBay?

How the hell are company laptops/computers getting to eBay in the first place? Surely this is clased as theft if you walk away with a laptop when you leave the company?! Do they not trace these things through an Asset Register? Do they have any management in place.

We focus on the data on the machine, which is important, but surely the laptop shouldn't be on eBay in the first place? If this is the case then companies need to do more than look after the data and secure it (using tools like Backstopp) but also look at managing and tracking the assets through an asset management database?

This is getting more common now and something needs to be done..

HSBC pops thousands of customer details in the post

Why oh why Royal Mail

Why use Royal Mail? Are there any courier or postal firms out there who don't loose things? Maybe BA have forgot to mention that Royal Mail and TNT are running Terminal 5 :).

There has to be better ways to transfer data. If the network isn't good enough or even up, drive up with the data encrypted on disk or a physical machine.

If on a physical machine at least the data could be encrypted and if the worst happens, you can execute a remote secure deletion utilising a tool like BackStopp. This way data doesn't go missing, instead just the laptop goes missing. Banks, and anyone with personal data on us the ever at risk public, need to address these issues. A £xxxk fine just doesn't do it, heads should role!!