ContactPoint children's database suffers security breaches

ContactPoint database suffers 'serious' security breaches during trial phase The controversial database containing personal details of all 11 million children in England has suffered at least three security breaches even before its nationwide launch. (link via Telegraph) I've written about the ContactPoint database before. I've always been against the idea but of course that doesn't matter. Parents don't have a say - unless you are a celebrity or a politician because they are concerned about the security of their children's details, and they can opt out!! And surprise, surprise! The big fear was that it wouldn't be secure (no database is 100% secure) and sure enough there have been at least three security breaches already - before its nationwide launch! I wonder how the parents in England that supported the idea of the database, feel about it now. Can there be anyone who still believes ContactPoint is a good idea?

Britain's top anti-terror chief resigns after blunder re: top secret papers

After being photographed outside 10 Downing Street, holding a document marked "Secret" that outlined details of an undercover operation, the news yesterday that Britain's top anti-terrorism official resigned is hardly surprising. What is surprising is that Bob Quick made such a serious blunder. It's not as if he wasn't expecting to find a horde of photographers standing in Downing Street! That plus Steve Back, the photographer who took the picture of Bob Quick's briefing note on the terror raids in the north west of England said that he had tried to warn the Government before that photographers were able to read top secret papers when people go through the door of 10 Downing Street. (links via telegraph.co.uk) To carry top secret papers tucked under his arm like that was a highly embarrassing and potentially dangerous blunder! Why on earth didn't he have the papers covered up or better yet, put away safely inside a locked briefcase? We get all this surveillance in the name of security (CCTV. databases. etc.) and yet the head of anti-terrorism makes a stupid and dangerous mistake that could have put a lot of innocent people's lives at risk. And no, I'm not exaggerating. This is from BBC News, Politics, Martha Kearney's week: What would be a trivial matter for most people - letting a document be photographed - is a matter of life and death for the country's most senior counter-terrorism officer. That was the view of Sir Chris Fox, the former head of the Association of Chief Police Officers.

3000 blank British passports stolen in van hijack

There has been another serious breach of security in Britain: Blank passports worth £2.5 million were stolen from an unlocked van when it was hijacked as the driver stopped at a newsagent. (link via telegraph.co.uk) Yep, you read that right - the passports were stolen from an unlocked van! What a valuable gift for fraudsters.

Another security breach! More secret documents left on train

It's hard to believe but another batch of secret documents were found on a train: Exclusive: New batch of terror files left on train, IoS returns confidential documents to Treasury as officials promise to tighten procedures Secret government documents detailing the UK's policies towards fighting global terrorist funding, drugs trafficking and money laundering have been found on a London-bound train and handed to 'The Independent on Sunday'. Another breach of security! This follows the serious breach that I posted about just a few days ago. Unbelievable!

Top secret documents left on London train

A senior civil servant has been suspended after top secret intelligence documents on al-Qa'eda were left on a commuter train, the Cabinet Office announced. (link via telegraph.co.uk) This government goes on and on about making the nation secure against terrorism and yet a senior civil servant who works in the Cabinet Office's intelligence and security unit, left the documents on a train! Unbelievable! It's just extremely fortunate that an honest member of the public found them and turned them in.