Thomas Bridge 07 June 2013

ICO fines Glasgow £150k for data breach

Glasgow City Council has been fined £150,000 following the loss of two unencrypted laptops, one of which contained personal information about 20,143 residents.

The monetary penalty, issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), came after the laptops – containing the town hall’s creditor payment history file and 6,069 individuals’ bank account details - were stolen from council offices in May last year.

Complaints of theft and a lack of security had already been made about the council premises where the theft took place.

One laptop had been locked in a storage drawer and the key placed in an unlocked drawer with the second laptop.

This breach of the Data Protection Act comes two years after Glasgow was issued with an enforcement notice for losing an unencrypted memory stick containing personal data.

Despite previous warnings, the latest ICO investigation found Glasgow had issued a number of staff with unencrypted laptops – some of which were later encrypted - after encountering software problems. In total, the ICO found 74 unencrypted laptops remain unaccounted for at the town hall, six of which have been stolen.

Glasgow is now required to carry out a full audit of its IT assets used to process personal data and arrange for all its managers to receive asset management training. The local authority will also carry out an annual check of devices.

The ICO’s assistant commissioner for Scotland, Ken Macdonald, said: ‘Glasgow City Council was issued with an enforcement notice back in 2010 after a similar incident where an unencrypted memory stick was lost. To find out that these poor practices have returned some two years later shows a flagrant disregard for the law and the people of Glasgow.

‘The council should be held to account, and the penalty goes some way to achieving that.’

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: ‘This data loss should not have happened and we took immediate steps to ensure it does not happen again. It is important to note that the number of unencrypted laptops was already coming down when this theft occurred.

‘The council co-operated fully with the ICO and wrote to everyone potentially affected to advise them of the data loss. The ICO acknowledges there is no evidence that any bank accounts have been targeted, that the council immediately informed it of the theft and that we carried out significant remedial action.’

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Graduate Trainee Electric Vehicle Infrastructure

North Yorkshire Council
£25,183 - £30,559
Could you help us deliver Electric Vehicle infrastructure to support this new transformation mode of transport. Greenwich, London (Greater)
Recuriter: North Yorkshire Council

Contracts and Strategy Officer

Royal Borough of Greenwich
£41,442 - £44,331
Royal Greenwich is on the up! Having achieved a 3.8% increase in our recycling rate this year Greenwich, London (Greater)
Recuriter: Royal Borough of Greenwich

Senior Developer

Royal Borough of Greenwich
£52,584 - £69,068
Royal Greenwich is a vibrant borough, with a rich history and diverse community. Greenwich, London (Greater)
Recuriter: Royal Borough of Greenwich

SEND Operations Assistant - 2 year FTC

Essex County Council
£25081 - £26679 per annum + + 26 Days Leave & Local Gov Pension
SEND Operations AssistantFixed Term, Full Time£25,081 to £26,679 Per AnnumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Welfare Benefits & Money Advice Caseworker

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
Band E SCP 18-25 (£30,559 - £35,235 per annum
We have an exciting opportunity for a skilled individual to join our Welfare Rights Team Sandwell, West Midlands
Recuriter: Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
Linkedin Banner