BT sends personal details of hundreds of broadband customers

Broadband and communications giant BT has recently admitted that it has released the personal details of hundreds of its broadband customers who were suspected of illegally downloading content.

These days many people are concerned about the possibility of companies accidentally breaching data security regulations and releasing or losing personal information that could put them at risk of identity theft and fraud if they fall into the wrong hands.

These concerns have become more prevalent as a result of a rise in the number of such breaches being reported, with data being lost by huge companies such as banks and government agencies, and due to a rise in identity theft and fraud. Many are now concerned following a recent admission by the broadband and communications giant BT, which has admitted to sending the personal details of hundreds of broadband customers accused of illegal downloading.

A BT lawyer sent the personal details of five hundred customers accused of illegal downloads and file sharing to the law firm ACS Law following a court order to do so. However, they failed to encrypt and secure the data that was sent, and the data was lost after security failed at the law firm.

Whilst the BT lawyer is said to have asked for the data to be held securely when he sent it off to the law firm he did not encrypt the XL files when he sent them according to reports, which left the information unsecure. This meant that anyone who got hold of the files could open and view them.

Source – Banmoco