MoD inquiry after laptop stolen from headquarters

**Recce19** · 12-12-2009, 18:41

Had a quick search and didn't see this, so apologies if already covered.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8409363.stm

MoD inquiry after laptop stolen from headquarters

An investigation is under way after a laptop containing secret data was stolen from the Ministry of Defence.

It was taken from the ministry's headquarters in Whitehall, central London in late November, along with a key used to decode encrypted files...

My bold, this is a little bit more serious than any of the others I've heard of! Will these fcukers ever learn? I admit mistakes are made by everyone, but this is getting rediculous.

**Azrael2006** · 12-12-2009, 19:01

probably taken by another foreign cleaner who they didn't do a security check on!

**beemer007** · 12-12-2009, 19:10

Was'nt it mentioned on the QT debate the other night that the MOD has just been refurbished?
(apologise for going briefly off topic)

So a good opportunity for things to go walkies while work was being carried out I suppose.

**jim30** · 12-12-2009, 19:24

If by just refurbhished you mean "5 years ago" then yes!

**meridian** · 12-12-2009, 19:26

But are we still paying for it Jim?

**OldTimer** · 12-12-2009, 19:30

Some one probably thought it was part of their bonus

**Recce19** · 12-12-2009, 19:33

My main point was about the 'key' also being stolen, so now the data is easily accessable (sp?).

**vvaannmmaann** · 12-12-2009, 19:52

Could have been worse.It could have been left on a train or bus.Then anyone could have got access to it.

**OldSnowy** · 12-12-2009, 19:56

Originally Posted by meridian

But are we still paying for it Jim?

It's PFI, and a particularly bad example at that, so yes, we'll be paying over theodds for many many years. The Coffee isn't bad though.

**SecurityGeek** · 12-12-2009, 19:58

I suspect for key read fob, the average Journo/sun reader would not know the difference and key makes it sound a bit more horrifying. Makes life easier if they have the capability to crack the P/Word but not to the average opportunist tea-leaf. The fob should not have been with the machine admittidly, but thats another story.
The key is something that someone would be looking for a severe reaming if it was held with the machine.

**scots_wahey** · 12-12-2009, 19:59

All dii(f) laptops hard drives are encrypted and require a USB 'token' and a password to read the information stored upon them. The token and the laptop are not meant to be stored together (most people attach theirs to their ID card lanyard 'thingy'). If the laptop is being left in your office then it is meant to be secured (although define 'secured' - mine gets locked in my desk drawer). But at then end of the day this needs to put into perspective...if a computer is being stolen from a secure MOD site then I would suggest that data protection issues are the least of our problems!

**frankie** · 12-12-2009, 20:03

Clearly someone has forgotten what they should have learnt from the recent, mandatory, Protecting Information Course.

**SecurityGeek** · 12-12-2009, 20:13

Or is more usually case thinks it does not apply to them or will never happen to them. I just love those cases when its everybodys fault except theirs

Editted a second time to delete a notification of opportunity to those who may be inclined to give it a go.

**chocolate_frog** · 12-12-2009, 21:09

Security isn't a dirty word.... crevis is though.

**bakersfield** · 13-12-2009, 21:41

Before DERA became QinetiQ, it wasn't uncommon for projects to fund "updated" laptops, charged to the DERA task. When the task was complete, there was no real mechanism in MoD for recovering and retaining these laptops, so DERA just stuffed them in a corner.

When QQ was formed, the laptops largely disappeared from the official records or were offloaded to anyone who fancied an old device (but with perfectly good hard drives full of data). I know a consultant who was given one and still has it, 5 years after his contract expired. He keeps offering it back to QQ but as far a they're concerned it either doesn't exist or is MoD property and nothing to do with them.

The above isn't "theft", it is a failure to manage assets. I think most "thefts" probably fall into this category.