Nursing and Midwifery Council - Data Loss

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The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined the Nursing and Midwifery Council £150,000 after it lost three unencrypted DVDs.

It is alleged that the DVDs contained evidence and personal information from two vulnerable children.

Deputy commissioner and director of data protection at the ICO, David Smith, explained, “It would be nice to think that data breaches of this type are rare, but we’re seeing incidents of personal data being mishandled again and again.”

Not even Miranda could make a joke about this.

HSBC - Data Loss

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A server containing the transaction data of 159,000 Hong Kong-based HSBC account holders has been stolen.

The data lost includes customer names, account numbers, transaction amounts and transaction types, but not PIN codes or online banking login credentials, of Hong Kong-based HSBC account holders.

The server went missing during renovation work at a Kwun Tong district branch.

A spokesperson for HSBC said, “The server is protected by multiple layers of security. The risk of data leakage and fraudulent transactions resulting from the loss of the server is deemed to be low.”

Boots the Chemist - Data Loss

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Data tapes containing the personal details, including bank account information,  of 35,000 employees and dental plan customers of Boots have been stolen.

The tapes were stolen from the car of a subcontracted security company.

Medisure, which runs the pharmacy’s dental plan, explained that the tapes are not in a consumer format and would only be accessible with specialist IT equipment.

HSBC Life Insurance - Data Loss

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A computer disc containing the personal and financial details of 370,000 HSBC Life Insurance customers has been lost

The data breach included dates of birth and value of the cover and policy numbers of HSBC Life Insurance customers.

The unencrypted computer disc was sent by normal post from HSBC Life Insurance’s premises in Southampton.

The data on the disc was only password protected and was only sent via courier due to HSBC Life Insurance’s electronic link to its reinsurance firm in Folkestone not working.

Camden Council - Data Loss

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Personal details of residents have been lost by Camden Council following the theft of unencrypted computers.

The losses are revealed in records released under the Freedom of Information Act.

Camden Council has not been able to state how many children and residents were potentially exposed by the thefts of a SEN laptop in October last year and an iPAQ hand-held computer in February containing “work-related” emails connected to Camden Council’s social inclusion and behaviour team.

Hertfordshire Police - Data Loss

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A Hertfordshire Police USB memory stick containing the personal details of 165,000 suspects, and vehicles used, has been found by a member of the public.

The memory stick was found outside a betting shop in Stevenage.

The Hertfordshire Police data was unencrypted and the finder was able to access all the information when plugging the memory stick into his computer.

Virgin Active - Data Loss

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The personal details of hundreds of prospective Virgin Active gym members have been emailed to members of the public.

Virgin Active had set up a promotional website which allowed prospective members to enter their personal details to receive a complimentary pass.

The data lost included the names, email addresses and telephone numbers of Virgin Active prospective customers. In some cases, date of birth and postcode as well.

Haringey Council - Data Loss

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The personal information of almost 1,000 Haringey Council residents has been found dumped in an abandoned council building.

The data lost included names, dates of birth, addresses, bank details and some housing tenancy data of housing benefit claimants.

The files were overlooked and left in a cupboard when the former Haringey Council housing benefits office was vacated in 2005.

A spokesman for Haringey Council said, “The council is going through all the files and will be writing to the people whose records have been found, to allay fears regarding their personal information and giving advice about what action the individuals should take if they have concerns regarding any misuse of their personal information.”

Ministry of Justice - Data Loss

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Four computer discs containing personal details from court records have been lost by the Ministry of Justice.

The data, comprising names and addresses of witnesses and alleged victims,  was on four CD-Roms sent in the post by the Ministry of Justice by recorded delivery, but never arrived at its destination.

A statement from the Ministry of Justice confirmed that Ministers and the Information Commissioner were notified as soon as it was recognised that the data had been lost.

Stockport Primary Care Trust - Data Loss

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A USB memory stick containing the personal medical records of 4,000 NHS patients has been lost by Stockport Primary Care Trust.

The records were on a USB stick clipped round the neck of a NHS employee when they were lost. It’s not known whether the information was encrypted.

Steps were taken to search to search for the device by retracing the path of the staff member, but the memory stick was not found.

Chief executive of Stockport Primary Care Trust, Richard Popplewell, said, “the loss was an accident rather than systematic failure in management.” Health managers have chosen not to inform the individuals involved.