Comfortably Numb
Antediluvian
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:btime:Huge fines from ICO on the horizon for that one.
Yes, that would indeed seem to come under a breach of the Data Protection Act...
:btime:Huge fines from ICO on the horizon for that one.
Just a bit! At the very least, heads will roll. Someone's getting the sack. For a start that'll be whoever put the list up, plus their boss and whoever checks their work.:btime:
Yes, that would indeed seem to come under a breach of the Data Protection Act...
Just a bit! At the very least, heads will roll. Someone's getting the sack. For a start that'll be whoever put the list up, plus their boss and whoever checks their work.
Doesn't sound like anyone checked it to be honest! I get the feeling that the 'boss' in this situation probably won't get as harsh a punishment as the lower-down person who put up the list.
It's got to be a security breach as well as a data breach though. Who knows how many people - and who - got a hold of the details before they were pulled.
Happened on'ere once. We had a troll, 'Ricky', who'd cause trouble in various ways. He somehow found out posters' actual names and addresses and listed them in full.
They were up for at least a full weekend before anyone could sort it as we didn't have moderators back then.
It wasn't illegal because the board itself didn't hold members' information but dash it all, it certainly wasn't cricket.
That's awfully worrying! But how on earth would he find out those details?
I read that last bit in a Terry-Thomas voice.
'Ricky' seemed to be an experienced troll so I assume his research skills were finely honed.
We're not as anonymous as we'd like to think! Anyone could be collecting information about us.
We talk about our interests and jobs and mention our home towns. It'd be easy to build up a little dossier about someone on here.
Remember the stalker who deduced his victim's address from a street sign reflected in a photo of her? That ended badly.
'Ricky' seemed to be an experienced troll so I assume his research skills were finely honed.
We're not as anonymous as we'd like to think! Anyone could be collecting information about us.
We talk about our interests and jobs and mention our home towns. It'd be easy to build up a little dossier about someone on here.
Remember the stalker who deduced his victim's address from a street sign reflected in a photo of her? That ended badly.
Duly so, as a suspected Internet ringleader of recent anarchy in France.Filing cabinet drawer sliding closed. Just time to see a folder with 'Escargot' on the tab.
Hang on... did this post get moved here? I could have sworn I posted it in the Typos and Proof Reading (or whatever its called) thread. :watch: ...
It was moved because it had nothing to do with typos / proofreading and a lot to do with the risks of leaking personal data onto the Internet.
I think as far as finding addresses of famous people goes, it's always been quite easy though hasn't it?I agree with @Yithian
In numerous jobs I have had access to company databases containing names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of famous people.
If I was a nutter, then who knows what I could do with that data?
I've said before on here about people flipping open their wallets at the till to basically show me their name, address, date of birth, NI number and (often in the case of older people) all their PINs (which they will persist in writing down on the inside of their wallet, 'for security'...) If I wanted to steal their identity, it would be the easiest thing in the world, and I wouldn't need to go anywhere near a computer to do it.Once the government has it, it's only a matter of time before anyone who really wants it has it, too.
The data will be overshared, underprotected and insecure, even if they fail to find a legal way to market access to it.
When I was in my early 20s, I worked for local government through an agency. Because I quickly proved pretty efficient at supplying data for the boss, I was given access and editing rights to a nationwide database for vulnerable persons without training or vetting. I was just told that I wasn't allowed to look anything up that I didn't need to to complete the assigned task (you'll forgive the lack of details).
The reason was simply that it would save time and hence money to allow me to check what I needed directly instead of requesting someone higher up to check and pass the information on—and the office was understaffed.
I did nothing untoward, obviously, but you only need to make a bad call once and the whole show is compromised. And this will be the reason: overworked clerics with more pressing concerns than the letter of the law.
We do not want this.
Alan Carr (comedian) told his Mum to disguise her pin if she had to write it down.I've said before on here about people flipping open their wallets at the till to basically show me their name, address, date of birth, NI number and (often in the case of older people) all their PINs (which they will persist in writing down on the inside of their wallet, 'for security'...) If I wanted to steal their identity, it would be the easiest thing in the world, and I wouldn't need to go anywhere near a computer to do it.
@Yithian totally get what you are saying and your experience, but things have moved on a lot since then. Due mainly to EU rules, but generally adopted by public services everywhere, there is now a Zero Trust model for all sensitive and personal data access. No user can access data beyond their role and remit without triggering alerts to the same.
I know any system can be open to abuse, but it is far harder these days when a least privilege system is in place.
Indeed, there are inevitably attempts to circumvent, but the basic premise is that any data access that is beyond the role or remit of a system user is simply not allowed. It's like when a bottle of wine will not scan on an EPOS in a shop after hours. The system has a rule that will not allow it.I'm happy to be brought up to date, but I confess I'm not overbrimming with faith.
In technical system vs actual individual, rubber meets road scenarios, the latter tends to triumph over the former.
Hope I'm wrong.
I think as far as finding addresses of famous people goes, it's always been quite easy though hasn't it?
The only difference was that you couldn't necessarily do it from your armchair.
If you really wanted to, you could though. Everyone knew where the Beatles lived for example.
And as for today, you don't need to have a job that allows you access to company databases to be able to find out addresses either.