Tag Archives: Loss of Sensitive Personal Data

Nightingale Practice

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What
Loss sensitive of personal data.

How much
7,700 records.

Why
10 back up tapes and a USB portable hard drive were stolen. The USB hard drive and five of the back up tapes were not encrypted.

Regulator
ICO

Regulatory action
Undertaking issued to ensure that the physical security of personal data be ensured. All portable media devices containing personal data must be encrypted. All staff must be made aware of the data controller’s policy for the storage of personal data and be trained to follow it.

Reason for action
Physical security was adequate, as the devices were kept in a locked firesafe in a locked and alarmed environment, but the lack of encryption was unacceptable.

When
10 July 2009

Links
View PDF of the Nightingale Practice Undertaking (Breach Watch Archive)

Counted4 CIC

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What
Loss sensitive of personal data.

How much
84 records.

Why
A filing cabinet containing paper records referring to the personal details of 84 individuals undergoing Drug Rehabilitation Requirements was lost during an office move.

Regulator
ICO

Regulatory action
Undertaking issued to ensure that the physical security of personal data be ensured, especially during transit. All staff must be made aware of the data controller’s policy for the storage of personal data and be trained to follow it.

Reason for action
A building contractor was employed to transport a number of cabinets to the new sit and insufficient organisational measures were made to prevent cabinets containing data for transfer from being mixed with obsolete cabinets to be disposed of.

When
9 July 2009

Links
View PDF of the Counted4 CIC Undertaking (Breach Watch Archive)

Oldham Council

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What
Loss of sensitive personal data.

How much
220 records.

Why
13 unencrypted laptops were stolen during a burglary at secure council offices, with the exception of one stolen from a staff members car and another that was stolen during the course of a youth activity evening.

Regulator
ICO

Regulatory action
Undertaking issued to ensure that all mobile data storage devices are sufficiently encrypted. All staff must be made aware of the data controller’s policy for the storage of personal data and be trained to follow it.

Reason for action
Three of these unencrypted laptops held sensitive personal data and the council did not take adequate steps to safeguard the data, either through encryption, or better physical security in respect of the two laptops stolen outside of council property.

When
7 July 2009

Links
View PDF of the Oldham Council Undertaking (Breach Watch Archive)

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

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What
Loss of sensitive personal data.

How much
About four records.

Why
An unencrypted memory stick containing data relating to children in care was lost.

Regulator
ICO

Regulatory action
Undertaking issued to ensure that all portable media devices are encrypted to a suitable standard. Staff must be made aware of the data controller’s policy for the storage and use of personal data and be appropriately trained to follow that policy.

Reason for action
Sensitive data was transferred to the memory stick in breach of Council procedure and was not password protected. The employee intended to use the data to work at home, but lost it during his commute.

When
29 July 2009

Links
View PDF of the Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council Undertaking (Breach Watch Archive)

Epsom & St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust

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What
Insecure storage of sensitive personal data.

How much
“A large number”

Why
A reporter discovered the insecure storage of hospitals records relating to medical tests and treatment.

Regulator
ICO

Regulatory action
Undertaking issued to ensure that appropriate security measures are in place to restrict access to areas where personal data is stored. All staff must be made aware of the data controller’s policy for the storage of personal data and be trained to follow it.

Reason for action
The data controller did not ensure sufficient security measures were in place to prevent the possibility of unauthorised access to the data over the course of two years.

When
11 June 2009

Links
View PDF of the Epsom & St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust Undertaking (Breach Watch Archive)

The Royal Hampstead NHS Trust

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What
Loss of sensitive personal data.

How much
20,000 records.

Why
An unencrypted disc containing patient information was discovered to be missing.

Regulator
ICO

Regulatory action
Undertaking issued to ensure that all mobile data storage devices are sufficiently encrypted. Physical security measures must be adequate to prevent unauthorised access to personal data. All staff must be made aware of the data controller’s policy for the storage of personal data and be trained to follow it.

Reason for action
The disc was not encrypted and the member of staff responsible for downloaded the data was believed to have known of its loss for five months before reporting it. It’s whereabouts and the precise circumstances regarding its loss are unknown.

When
8 June 2009

Links
View PDF of the Royal Hampstead NHS Trust Undertaking (Breach Watch Archive)

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

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What
Loss of sensitive personal data.

How much
103 records.

Why
A ward hand over sheet was lost and two unencrypted laptops were stolen.

Regulator
ICO

Regulatory action
Undertaking issued to ensure that all mobile data storage devices are sufficiently encrypted. Physical security measures must be adequate to prevent unauthorised access to personal data. All staff must be made aware of the data controller’s policy for the storage of personal data and be trained to follow it.

Reason for action
The hand over sheet was later located on a bus. The laptops were protected by three locked doors, but the investigation revealed that staff had poor knowledge of the requirement to store data relating to trust business on secure network drives.

When
3 June 2009

Links
View PDF of the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust Undertaking (Breach Watch Archive)

Chelsea & Westminster Hospital

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What
Loss of sensitive personal data.

How much
143 records.

Why
An unencrypted memory stick containing patient information was stolen from an unattended and unlocked office being used for a walk in clinic.

Regulator
ICO

Regulatory action
Undertaking issued to ensure that all mobile data storage devices are sufficiently encrypted. Physical security measures must be adequate to prevent unauthorised access to personal data. All staff must be made aware of the data controller’s policy for the storage of personal data and be trained to follow it.

Reason for action
The disc was not encrypted and in fact was not even password protected The employee was not aware that secure network drive and encryption facilities were available and had used a personal memory stick since Trust equipment was not available.

When
2 June 2009

Links
View PDF of the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital Undertaking (Breach Watch Archive)

The Highland Council

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What
Loss of sensitive personal data.

How much
1,400 records.

Why
Two unencrypted laptops were stolen from a locked office on the data controller’s premises.

Regulator
ICO

Regulatory action
Undertaking issued to ensure that appropriate security measures are in place to ensure that laptops are safely stored and encrypted.

Reason for action
The laptops were not encrypted and no additional physical security measures were in place beyond being placed in a locked office.

When
2 June 2009

Links
View PDF of the Highland Council Undertaking (Breach Watch Archive)

Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust

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What
Loss of sensitive personal data.

How much
3,500 records.

Why
An unencrypted desktop computer containing personal data was stolen from a locked office.

Regulator
ICO

Regulatory action
Undertaking issued to ensure that appropriate security measures are in place to restrict access to areas where personal data is stored. Any data held on portable media must be encrypted and only held for as long as absolutely necessary. Mandatory induction data protection training must to given to all staff.

Reason for action
The desktop computer was not secured to the desk or encrypted. Initially the incident was treated only as a loss of equipment, resulting in a delay of over one month in reporting and investigating the loss of personal data.

When
22 May 2009

Links
View PDF of the Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust Undertaking (Breach Watch Archive)