Laptop theft: Unencrypted laptop stolen from Brighton and Hove City Council

13 February 2012

A laptop containing sensitive details about families has been stolen from Brighton and Hove City Council.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has been informed about the theft of an unencrypted laptop belonging to the council from the home of a temporary employee.

It is reported that the council failed to report the laptop theft, despite knowing that the information of several families was stored on the computer.

The authority was also condemned for an incident in July 2011 in which an employee emailed the details of another member of staff’s personal data to 2,821 council workers.

A whistleblower informed the ICO about concerns over employees dealing with contact between children in care and family members. The council was one of five local authorities criticised by the ICO over the weekend, following severe data breaches.

Since April 2010, the ICO has the authority to fine public sector organisations up to £500,000 for serious breaches to the Data Protection Act, including unencrypted laptop theft.

Brighton and Hove City Council has now stepped up its IT security measures to prevent laptop theft and ensure that the personal information it processes is secure.

The UK’s expert in managing mobile computing, LapSafe® Products, is encouraging those in the public sector to take greater steps to physically secure their mobile IT to minimise the risk of laptop theft. Having laptops stolen is not just inconvenient and costly, but laptop theft can put individuals at risk.

For more information about how to prevent laptop theft from the public sector, read The Politics of IT Security whitepaper.

Sources: The Guardian and The Argus