Centennial Article: Lord blames targets for HMRC data loss

Lord blames targets for HMRC data loss

The data loss by HM Revenues & Customs (HMRC) last year has been blamed on excessive targets, according to a member of the House of Lords.

Merlin, the Earl of Erroll, said that there was a hurry to move the data to a different location, so a target could be met, reports ZDNet.

The CDs containing the details of 25 million individuals in the UK were thought to be lost on the way to the National Audit Office.

Richard Thomas, the information commissioner, said that the current inquiry into the incident would likely lead to new guidance for public sector workers.

"It has to be the chief executives and the permanent secretaries who take responsibility when things go wrong," he told the website.

In addition, Mr Thomas questioned the amount of data being held and stored in that way and in such large quantities.

Procedures were also to blame in the HMRC case, with it emerging after the incident that sensitive information, like bank details, were meant to be removed from the disks before they were transferred.

Research by Ponemon found that the HMRC's data loss could lead to a bill of £600 million for tax payers.

Learn more about managing endpoint security risks

About Centennial Software

Centennial Software (www.centennial-software.com) is a leading developer of asset management and network security solutions with more than five million licenses sold to blue-chip organizations around the world. Centennial's growing portfolio of solutions helps organizations better manage their IT infrastructure, maintain compliance and minimize operational risks. Centennial products are available through a global network of approved resellers and market-leading OEM vendors. The company operates offices in the USA, UK, Germany, Sweden and Australia.

• Contact Us
• Privacy Policy

• Sitemap
• Terms of Use

Sign-up for our newsletters!