Fact is where centralized data on citizens is not being destroyed by accidents or mishaps, it remains to be a very attractive and tasty target for criminal intention, for organized crime, for insurance companies, employers, ... you name it.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle2907495.ece
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7009222225
Quote:
Vital national data on U.K.'s 15.5 million children has apparently been lost after a junior employee of the British Revenue and Customs office sent the important CDs through the mail. (...)
There are fears the data may be misused by criminals for identity theft on an unparalleled scale. The two compact discs listed all the names, dates of birth and National Insurance numbers of all 15.5 young Britons and bank details and address of their parents, numbering 9.5 million.
The CDs were not encrypted, hence the data on it could be mined to apply for loans, credit cards under assumed identities. Children's organizations warned the data on it could be used by pedophiles to pose as parents of their target victims. (...)
A similar incident involving personal data of Standard Life pensioners on a CD was reported early November by BBC Radio 4.
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The digital citizen is great - plenty of opportunities! Cheers!