Lost Flash Drive Exposes Data

A British consumer Web site was shut down after a USB flash drive with confidential data was found in the parking lot of a pub.

The British Department for Work and Pensions said the drive had confidential passwords and source code. The Government Gateway Web site is used by about 12 million citizens to file tax returns and pay parking tickets. It has addresses, credit card information, insurance data and other material.

"Not only would a fraudster be able to take personal details using the tools provided on the lost memory stick, but the extent of the information contained in the source code would allow a hacker to access the Government Gateway's payment systems and even divert tax money into private bank accounts," an Internet protection expert told CNet News.

The memory stick was lost by a 29-year-old analyst at a firm which has a contract to manage the Web site. Information was encrypted by an expert said it would be relatively easy to break that code.

Source: Secure Agent Secure eNewsletter - Volume 431