Government and computers

The Watcher · 21-11-2008, 07:08

And these clowns want more of our personal date in the form of id cards?

Dave650 · 21-11-2008, 07:20

I don't think that really means they necessarily had important data on. Most will have been stolen and your average numpty can't access the data on government systems they are reasonably secure. (probably not really excusable though!)

The Watcher · 21-11-2008, 07:22

Fair point but it doesnt fill you with a great deal of confidence though does it.

Dave650 · 21-11-2008, 07:26

No

But I think this is part of the conservatives throwing spanners at the works to try and cause embarassment. What do they consider as 'government equipment' I think most of these will be low ranked people who aren't even entitled to hold sensitive data anyway.

Blackbeard · 21-11-2008, 07:40

How many people from the forum have had their computer stolen or have lost one??

The Watcher · 21-11-2008, 07:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackbeard

How many people from the forum have had their computer stolen or have lost one??

How many people on the forum work for the government and may have sensitive files of national security?

iansheff · 21-11-2008, 08:30

Oh come on it is so easy to do you put your laptop down in Starbucks and then forget all about it while you have your Latte

Dave650 · 21-11-2008, 08:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackbeard

How many people from the forum have had their computer stolen or have lost one??

Ever been burgled?
And I think most government personel are issued with with laptops over computers.

Dave650 · 21-11-2008, 08:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by iansheff

Oh come on it is so easy to do you put your laptop down in Starbucks and then forget all about it while you have your Latte

A gun on the other hand.....

Funky_Gibbon · 21-11-2008, 10:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave650

Ever been burgled?
And I think most government personel are issued with with laptops over computers.

Depends on who are being called 'Government Personnel' in this story. Anyone who works for a public service is an employee of the Government and most who use computers use desktop computers.

If the Tories are just talking about civil servants who work directly for the Departments then that is still several hundred thousand people. It's simply not reasonable to expect nothing to get stolen or lost when there are that many people.

HotPhil · 21-11-2008, 11:00

They can't be reasonably expected to eradicate all theft/loss of data-holding devices. What they can be reasonably expected to do it protect/encrypt the data on them. I'm still amazed that with all the recent publicity around the negligent losses of data, no one senior has been sacked. It's a disgrace.

Dave650 · 21-11-2008, 11:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotphil

They can't be reasonably expected to eradicate all theft/loss of data-holding devices. What they can be reasonably expected to do it protect/encrypt the data on them. I'm still amazed that with all the recent publicity around the negligent losses of data, no one senior has been sacked. It's a disgrace.

They do encryt them (well a bit). I believe they now use 'locked' pen drives, that you need a key to access and the laptops require a pin that changes every hour or so.

Funky_Gibbon · 21-11-2008, 11:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotphil

They can't be reasonably expected to eradicate all theft/loss of data-holding devices. What they can be reasonably expected to do it protect/encrypt the data on them. I'm still amazed that with all the recent publicity around the negligent losses of data, no one senior has been sacked. It's a disgrace.

In many of these cases the data is on the laptops without permission or is in the hands of external contractors (why they have the data I don't know) who aren't following data protection laws. In most cases it's not the Departments being negligent, it's individuals who are breaking the law and there's not much that can be done about that, safeguards only work as long as people observe them and don't deliberately ignore them. I agree that they should be prosecuted and sacked when they are caught.

I know for a fact that the NHS has encryption software on all its laptops and I would hope that other public services did the same.

HotPhil · 21-11-2008, 11:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave650

They do encryt them (well a bit). I believe they now use 'locked' pen drives, that you need a key to access and the laptops require a pin that changes every hour or so.

If every government department, agency, sub-contractor and committee had encrypted equipment/transport mechanisms (as they should), I think they'd be falling over themselves to tell us that.
Of course, the conspiracy theorists would then have a field-day with the secretive government.