
The South Central Ambulance Service received a Freedom of Information (FOI) request from BBC Radio Berkshire, which revealed how data was leaked on the religion, sexuality, age and insurance details of close to 3,000 members of staff.
The BBC said that the breach – which occurred in October last year – is subject to an ongoing investigation by the Information Commissioner’s Office. The investigation was launched in a bid to eradicate any leaked data, as soon as it became aware of the incident on 24th April. In its official statement, it said that any individuals affected – whether current or former employees – were told of the breach in writing by the chief executive officer.
Debbie Watson, a spokesperson from Unite, a union which represents staff members who have been affected by the data leak, spoke to the BBC and described the breach as “astonishing”.
Boldon James’ CEO, Martin Sugden, told ScmagazineUK.com that the fact such a high number of employees were affected by a breach in an FOI request reveals insufficient security knowledge and controls to prevent sensitive data from being leaked.
The ambulance service may be a more obvious target than the average SME, but widespread attacks can cause data breaches in businesses of all sizes. Failing to take necessary security measures cost SCAS dearly, but it is a lesson other organisations can learn from. By placing an increased emphasis on IT security recruitment, a business can better protect the data it holds on both employees and the company in general.
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