9 October 2007

HMRC in identity theft scare

Antony Savvas, Computer Weekly

An HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) worker has lost a laptop containing details of hundreds of investors, sparking the latest UK identity theft scare.

The BBC reports the laptop was stolen from the boot of an HMRC car last month.

The HMRC staff member had been using the laptop to audit tax information from several investment firms.

Police are now investigating the theft. HMRC says the data was protected using "a complex password and top level encryption", reports the BBC.

But the theft also included a print-out of some names and financial details, which would be helpful to identity thieves.

The HMRC theft follows similar thefts at Nationwide Building Society, Marks & Spencer, and several health bodies.

The Nationwide was fined £1m by the Financial Services Authority after its laptop theft.

This article first appeared on the web-site of Computer Weekly, at http://www.computerweekly.com//Articles/2007/10/09/227333/hmrc-at-centre-of-latest-identity-theft-scare-after-laptop.htm. © Reed Business Information 2007.

PCI: here to stay (feature from July/August 2007 issue)

Police criticised on cybercrime (27 April 2007)

News index