'Major risks' to IT security at City Hall
Flaws in data security at City Hall in Lincoln are putting sensitive information such as people's bank details at risk, it has been revealed.
The state of current IT management procedures is so poor that it constitutes "a major risk", according to a review.
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Lincoln's City Hall.
Lincoln City Council's databases hold tens of thousands of records on Lincoln residents, from bank accounts to addresses and benefit details.
Now the council is taking measures to tighten up security following a string of national security blunders at Government departments.
The council says that so far no breaches have occurred which have led to confidential information leaking out.
But a review by council officials has found that a failure to improve data security could leave the authority "vulnerable to malicious attack" from hackers.
The council is preparing to spend £50,000 of Government money as it aims to keep public information safe.
Matt Smith, IT manager at the council, said the work being taken would further strengthen security.
"The council takes IT security very seriously and has invested in it over a period of years," he said.
"Security can always be improved, and this programme is looking to strengthen it further."
The council has warned that a failure to improve security could leave it prone to legal action if blunders do occur.
It could also face Government fines of an as yet unspecified level.
The security measures now being rolled out are part of a nationwide, Government-led initiative to beef up IT security.
For the full story see Tuesday's Lincolnshire Echo.
6 Comments
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by Lord Lucan, It a secret
Tuesday, September 30 2008, 6:38PM
“Last.”
by Steve, South Hykeham
Tuesday, September 30 2008, 12:42PM
“50K may go some way to addressing procedure issues as the article first suggests but it certainly won't do a lot to bolster security threats from hackers and the like if it's in the state that we're lead to believe from this article.
Hacker - You're right about the amount invested by the banking sector, I'm a Senior Global Test Manager at Barclays and have sat on a number project go/no-go boards with some seniority and if a Project Manager had presented with a budget of 50K to address this type of issue at such a level, they would have been told to go away and re-do their sums as 50K wouldn't even cover the investigation needed by specialists to highlight the breach points.
Finally "The council takes IT security very seriously"; obviously not if it's in such a state.”
by Richard Head, Market Rasen
Tuesday, September 30 2008, 11:03AM
“50k can buy a lot, when you consider that the standard way of sending data is unencripted by royal mail!
You are talking about starting at a very low standard, look at all the personal data that has gone astray from public departments recent then why should the City Council be any better?”
by Hacker, secret
Tuesday, September 30 2008, 9:56AM
“£50k government funding to improve IT security? if this is classed as a major risk then £50k will just about buy you a half arsed network authentication system with 1 user license. As a security consultant it never ceases to amaze me how little security is valued outside the banking community.
This news concerns me, and it usually takes a huge security failure to justify the expense needed to secure online data in todays volatile world. This news may go under the radar as many people dont understand how dangerous this actually is to them but believe me i do. Lincoln council are lucky they have not been a victim yet, its possible they already have been but dont even know it.”
by Alan Partridge, Norwich City Centre
Tuesday, September 30 2008, 9:40AM
“Second.”