Police Officer Jailed For Database Abuse

[Elton]

It's stories like this that make me certain that I do NOT want my own details stored on a central system under the pretence that it may deter terrorism:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/7183911.stm

[Jim Roper]

And, of course, he always obeyed speed limits.

 

I was ribbed on another forum by someone who had found out what vehicle was registered to me. I surmised that it had come, via a bobby, from the PNC.

Edited January 12, 2008 by Jim Roper

[Ken L]

As with other systems such as those used for Social Security, the police system is policed and that policing clearly works.

Most abuses are trivial with idiots looking up celebreties or family members but the result is consistent and predictable, they loose their jobs and on occasion, their freedom.

 

Accessing these systems is all controlled by user specific ID's, every access can be tracked and there are random checks that have to be written up to account for a users access to any record that they look at and a higher level of ramdom checks when people are changing records. In addition, some records such as those of celebs (and for the police, I would imagine criminals who are in the press) are flagged to always generate a check.

If a user can't account for their need to be looking at someones records then things will move very quickly.

 

I'm not sure how security could be improved in the general workplace.

 

Bulk recordson CD's is of course an entirely different issue.

[Dan]

As with other systems such as those used for Social Security, the police system is policed and that policing clearly works.

Most abuses are trivial with idiots looking up celebreties or family members but the result is consistent and predictable, they loose their jobs and on occasion, their freedom.

 

As you say except when they copy it onto a CD and post it to the NAO!!!

 

There may not be much that can be done to tighten up access at the workplace, but if the info isnt there it cannot be leaked, Gov depts often hold onto info for far too long -IMHO of course!

Edited January 12, 2008 by Dan

[chesters1]

there isnt much that cant be found out by those who wish hard enough ,if its on a server connected to a computer outside (or even inside with wireless) then its wide open to abuse .

nothing is safe if its on any computer and with the correct implements whats in your head is available as well

 

the make a lot of fuss about firewalls etc on computers but any bright spark can merely tap the phoneline the computer uses and get transmissions going both ways ,with time and money every crook in the world has your details especially in corrupt countries where "help desks" seem to be nowadays ,the losing of disks is small change most of its given away to america under "terrorism" laws now

 

your cars history is available for £3 and its owners ofcourse ,the Census is sold to "interested" 3rd parties and the electoral role is available at every library etc ,now they know who lives where ,and what they drive theres little else needed to become "you".

 

strangely at the job center the other day (my mrs had to attend) what was on the screen bore no relation to fact and the desire to get those claiming IB off the lists (hence my mrs's visit) was a waste of time because she doesent claim it and despite telling the twit thus she couldnt understand why not ,quoting the law to her only made her more desperate to prove me wrong!! the letter today telling her what she would be recieving was no different to the two she had in december telling the exact same thing!!

Edited January 12, 2008 by chesters1

[Ken L]

if the info isnt there it cannot be leaked, Gov depts often hold onto info for far too long -IMHO of course!

 

14 months for most Social Security stuff other than things like name and address history which are vital for confirming identity.

Presumably similar guidelines appy accross government.

 

As for being able to tap into the computer systems, they're networked using a dedicated network and as far as I'm aware, they don't go near the phone lines.

I'm sure the military stuff is linked to the internet, but then again, allowing the military to use any available route for data transfere in time of war was what the internet was designed for - fishing forums are just an add on.

[chesters1]

14 months for most Social Security stuff other than things like name and address history which are vital for confirming identity.

Presumably similar guidelines appy accross government.

 

As for being able to tap into the computer systems, they're networked using a dedicated network and as far as I'm aware, they don't go near the phone lines.

I'm sure the military stuff is linked to the internet, but then again, allowing the military to use any available route for data transfere in time of war was what the internet was designed for - fishing forums are just an add on.

 

if the job center can bring up her details from the DWP then it must be connected to the DWP server in totton? and only by phoneline ,if guildford can access aldershots records (we live in surrey but attend a center in hampshire) then both are connected by phoneline!

the only time the government records are "safe" is when the computers and software is "upgraded" then no-one can access anything including the government for months untill its "sorted"

 

not that being connected to each other help i got a "bill" from customs asking for payment for "missing" contributions ,had they looked harder they would see i have it paid as i receive IS as a partner of an IS getter who claims for me.

 

 

as for:

 

"14 months for most Social Security stuff other than things like name and address history which are vital for confirming identity."

 

if the jobcenter accept no more than the word of a claiment from abroad that they are married to the person sitting next to them then "identity" reasons need looking at as hard as they are for UK citizens where proof is needed to claim anything.

my eyes were opened whilst attending the jobcenter ,where's i needed proof of everything our foreign friends needed bugger all and their mere word excepted as truth just to get them out of the building and quotas met

 

 

one employee phoned up somewhere to have a passport described to her as she hadent seen one from that country before ,if thats all they need as proof of identity no wonder were in the state we are

 

6 separate forms of identity are needed to get rent rebates from our council not the word of mouth given by those choosing to come here ,chuck that ID in the sea on the way over and its help from there on !!

Edited January 12, 2008 by chesters1

[Jeff S]

if the job center can bring up her details from the DWP then it must be connected to the DWP server in totton? and only by phoneline ,if guildford can access aldershots records (we live in surrey but attend a center in hampshire) then both are connected by phoneline!

the only time the government records are "safe" is when the computers and software is "upgraded" then no-one can access anything including the government for months untill its "sorted"

 

In a way you are right Chesters. You can have access to the web and still keep your important data on servers safe but you aren't limited to phone lines.

 

Leased lines are different than phone lines in which they can use different 'protocols' for each to talk. The most cost effective way to do this is to use frame relay (most larger companies use this) --To keep it simple networks can talk securely by placing all of the data in tunnels which not only keep it separate from other data but keep it secure as well. The 'pipe' in FR is shared so it has to be kept separate. The government probably has its own dedicated lines so they don't have to share they just encrypt it. If they know what they are doing it won't take months- merely minutes.

[chesters1]

i wouldnt bank on the govs security these are the people who cant make army radios safe never mind wired things

[Jeff S]

Physical security isn't like it was years ago. Now all you have to do is put data on a thumb drive and drop it your pocket. Laptops, CDs, PDAs, size makes it way too easy. How many times have you wasted time looking for your keys? Better yet how many times recently have you seen it in the news?

 

If it were attached to a toilet seat I doubt it would be lost very often. I'd like to meet you one day Chesters. Cynical? HA