Security lapse as 4,000 key codes lost by Leicester City Council

[Alison J Stevens]

Security lapse as 4,000 key codes lost by Leicester City Council


By tom mack

Home security codes and medical information about thousands of elderly and vulnerable people have been lost by Leicester City Council.

A computer memory stick containing files on about 4,000 people has disappeared from the offices of LeicesterCare, the council's service which supports vulnerable city residents.

The data includes medical details about everyone on LeicesterCare's files, as well as 2,000 keysafe codes.

Keysafe codes are used to open boxes, attached to an outside wall of people's homes, which contain a key to the front door.
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The council is in the process of changing all of the codes.

The loss of the memory stick has been reported to the police and to the Government's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), which has started its own investigation.

The missing memory stick was used as a back-up device to record information on council computers, and was locked in a safe each night.

The stick is not supposed to leave the offices, in Blackbird Road, at any time and the council has said it believes it is missing within the building. It added that all information was encoded.

Staff in the department have been asked to search their desks and make sure they have not taken the memory stick home.

It was last seen on Friday, March 5, then officially reported as missing on Tuesday, March 9, and to the police on Monday, March 14.

A city council spokesperson said: "We can confirm we are investigating the possible loss of a data device that contains personal details of around 4,000 LeicesterCare users.

"At this time we have no reason to believe this data has been removed deliberately.

"However, while we have been assured by our supplier the information on the device is not accessible to anyone who may find it, we are taking every precaution to maintain the security of our LeicesterCare users.

"So, as a precaution, we are urgently carrying out changes to the keysafe codes of around 2,000 users.

"We are also contacting all of the main next of kin contacts for these users to advise them of the changes.

"We are apologising individually to everyone affected."

Angie Beale, 59, who lives in the St Andrew's area of Leicester, has a keysafe at her home.

Both her husband, Jack, 87, and disabled son Gordon, 39, are registered with LeicesterCare.

She said: "There's a keysafe outside my home in case my husband has a fall and I'm not around.

"I think it's disgusting they can lose something like that, especially with medical details that are personal."

Tony Donovan, chief executive of Age Concern in Leicestershire, said: "It's a very worrying situation.

"It will cause a lot of concern and worry for vulnerable people and their families.

"Any sort of database scandal is bad but it's particularly worrying when older people are put at risk.

"A keysafe code will get anyone through the front door of people's houses. I hope the city council sorts this out as soon as possible, but there is still the question of how this can happen."

Rules issued by the ICO require councils to keep digital information adequately encrypted.

An ICO spokesperson said: "We have recently been informed of a possible data breach which may involve Leicester City Council.

"We will be making inquiries into the circumstances of the alleged breach of the Data Protection Act before deciding what action, if any, needs to be taken."

Anyone concerned about their security, or that of a friend or relative, can call LeicesterCare's 24-hour helpline on 0116 252 6274.