The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is conducting an audit of Halifax Bank of Scotland's (HBOS) data security procedures after it was revealed that the bank was putting customers' financial documents in ordinary bins.   more »

ISP PlusNet has had its email database stolen and its users' accounts bombarded by spammers, AGAIN!. The attack first surfaced yesterday, when PlusNet punters reported that previously spam-free email addresses were being filled with unsolicited discount pharmacy marketing. Some forum posters report that a few of their webmail contacts have received more spam too. There is also speculation amongst users as to whether the legally required data retention areas of the PlusNet system have been hacked, releasing details of users sent and received emails.   more »

Andrew Duff is a Lib Dem MEP for the Eastern Counties. I also suspect that his own electorate do not realise what they have elected. He is one of the main drivers in favour of a European Constitution and as such has a certain contempt for the majority opinion in the country. There will be a meeting of the most sceptical countries in Prague to discuss what to do to stymie the German proposals for a new one. He hopes that the, "English can be defeated".   more »

Following on from the story about terror classifications, it seems America is on a crash course to catch up with the UK in its collection of DNA. It seems that the dream of Adml. Poindexter to have the whole world tagged and flagged with his Total Information Awareness programme is moving a step closer. New York governor Eliot Spitzer wants to broaden the state's DNA database to include DNA taken from people found guilty of any misdemeanor.   more »

French investment bank BNP Paribas has been fined £350,000 by the UK's Financial Services Authority for systems and control failures at its London-based private banking unit that allowed a senior manager to steal £1.4 million from client accounts. We hope that in the future the FSA will be taking similar actions against Banks, Businesses and Public/Government Institutions for the crime of ‘enabling fraud’ in the same way as the internal fraud cases.   more »

Nato is considering deploying sea-borne rapid-reaction forces to help private oil firms such as BP, one of its senior officials has announced. Jamie Shea, director of policy planning in the office of Nato's secretary-general, said the proposal may mean sending Nato forces to Africa, Asia and the Middle East to protect oil companies' facilities.   more »