Now the 84,000 prisoners will be getting screwed a different way.

Another nail in the coffin for the centralised database?

Probably not!

Identity theft?
Yeah, hey #15468978455124, I hear some one's got your number.
#15468978455124: Of course they do. Why do you think I'm in here? Hey! What's this bill from Fingerhut?

The entire hoodie chav file folder is gone. GONE.

So if you get sent up for ID theft, does that put you higher or lower then a kiddydiddler in the can?

vudukungfu: So if you get sent up for ID theft, does that put you higher or lower then a kiddydiddler in the can?

Just don't steal the kiddydiddler's identity.

vudukungfu So if you get sent up for ID theft, does that put you higher or lower then a kiddydiddler in the can?

I'd say much, much higher. They are opposite ends of the spectrum.

Alec Beevers: Another nail in the coffin for the centralised database?

It's already deader than a dead thing come the election, since it's the Tories'
"look over there while we pander to the record and film industry, we're not authoritarian, honest"
get out of gaol free card.

daveydave:

I'd say much, much higher. They are opposite ends of the spectrum.

What if you are the guy who stole the kiddydiddler's ID?
Then the lowest would be gunning for you.

The Aussies have it! Heh heh, thats funny if you know ur history

pfffft

Non issue. Prisoners in the UK only spend about 2 weeks per conviction in prison anyway.

vudukungfu: daveydave:

I'd say much, much higher. They are opposite ends of the spectrum.

What if you are the guy who stole the kiddydiddler's ID?
Then the lowest would be gunning for you.

They keep the kiddydiddlers away from the other prisoners, knowing that they would get killed by the normal prisoners. The only problem is if you steal the wardens and the kiddydiddlers ids, then the warden hands you over to them...

Alec Beevers: Another nail in the coffin for the centralised database?

Probably not!

It's an argument for a centralized database. Most information loss has involved USB sticks, laptops and even Blackberrys. There's no reason why any sensitive info should be kept on a portable device. It should all be accessed from a server, by secure devices.

I particular like the story of the British guy who had his Blackberry stolen by some Chinese woman he picked up in a Disco. I wonder if Daniel Craig has been sent to recover it yet.

Let's see how long a before a FOLLOWUP gets posted here with the headline "Hey, remember that lost USB stick with info on 84,000 prisoners in England and Wales? Yeah, at least one person was stupid enough to steal a prisoner's identity."

skinink: There's no reason why any sensitive info should be kept on a portable device. It should all be accessed from a server, by secure devices.

Yeah, right. Nobody is going to email their gmail account with data they accessed at work, download it onto a CD because it's too inconvenient to VPN into work during their work at home days... (ad infinitum) ?

84,000? Amateurs. Texas has twice that many, plus capital punishment, yeee-haw!

V. M. Molotov: The only problem is if you steal the wardens and the kiddydiddlers ids, then the warden hands you over to them...

Why is this a problem?

USB sticks are so easy to loose. The should switch to something a little larger. Here are some ideas. I am available for further consultation if need be.

skinink: I particular like the story of the British guy who had his Blackberry stolen by some Chinese woman he picked up in a Disco.

I picked up a Chinese woman in a Disco once. But she started screaming and I had to put her down.

FarkinNortherner: Yeah, right. Nobody is going to email their gmail account with data they accessed at work, download it onto a CD because it's too inconvenient to VPN into work during their work at home days... (ad infinitum) ?
I agree with what you're saying, but this will happen with any system. What you try to do is make it as safe as possible, and if the IT dept. is on top of their game, what you mentioned might not even be possible. At my job, no one can access any web mail, and nobody has burners on their computers, and most computers have their USB port shut down (I work for a financial company, so everything work related has to be recordable and archived for the SEC). But anyone who is stupid enough to circumvent it (and get caught) should face repercussions.

But like I said, I agree with what you said. No matter what someone will always try to get around the restrictions.

vudukungfu: daveydave:

I'd say much, much higher. They are opposite ends of the spectrum.

What if you are the guy who stole the kiddydiddler's ID?
Then the lowest would be gunning for you.

Isn't that a good thing to be messing with the kiddydiddlers?
Why would that anger the prisoners?

"ID cards don't make your indentity any more difficult to steal. It just means when it is stolen, you're farked.
'I just left my wallet in the hotel room! I'm gonna need new eyeballs and a finger transplant'"

84,000 exactly? That either means the prisons are full OR some prisoners escaped. I think there should be a full investigation. After that investigation, investigate the investigators. After that, set up more speed cameras and investigate why those aren't working.

/Might be the fire.

Rhames: The Aussies have it! Heh heh, thats funny if you know ur history

Iocane powder?

vudukungfu: Hey! What's this bill from Fingerhut?

Greatest mail order catalog EVAR.

Approves.

skinink: FarkinNortherner: Yeah, right. Nobody is going to email their gmail account with data they accessed at work, download it onto a CD because it's too inconvenient to VPN into work during their work at home days... (ad infinitum) ?
I agree with what you're saying, but this will happen with any system. What you try to do is make it as safe as possible, and if the IT dept. is on top of their game, what you mentioned might not even be possible. At my job, no one can access any web mail, and nobody has burners on their computers, and most computers have their USB port shut down (I work for a financial company, so everything work related has to be recordable and archived for the SEC). But anyone who is stupid enough to circumvent it (and get caught) should face repercussions.
But like I said, I agree with what you said. No matter what someone will always try to get around the restrictions.

The problem with databases (whether centralized and difficult to access, or distributed and easy to "lose" track of data) is the fact that they can be easily changed, with no one the wiser - and that furthermore we base life-altering decisions on the information from these systems, without giving them a second thought, because of the ancient saw of "the computer is always right", which probably gained traction with a Univac calling the US presidential election correctly, long ago in 1952, before all the poll results were in (new window).

Furthermore, this data alteration may not be done in a malicious manner at all - it may be changed purposefully, but incorrectly, and so while an audit log trail in the database would eventually show the error, it has to be known (and cared enough about) that there is an error to begin with. If the data looks plausible, there may never be any reason to check, of course.

Then, of course, there is also the possibility (though slight) of either the computer hardware having a very slight glitch and changing a single bit in a byte of data (hardware failure, bad RAM, cosmic ray interactions, etc) - which could wildly change a number or other value, depending on the bit position, but it would NEVER show up on an audit - yet, still, we humans trust the data, because the computer is always right.

This is what we get when we build machines that imitate (some would propose replicate) the way we think, without stopping to ponder that our own brains and memories of events are waaaay more faulty than we give credit for (which is why eyewitnesses to crimes tend to be useless, especially as time passes).

All of this (and more) was warned of quite a while back in the book Database Nation (new window), but as always, the people who should be listening just don't give a damn (maybe they will when it affects THEM, the selfish bastards).

Another nail in the coffin for the centralised database?

Probably not!

Nothing wrong with centralized databases, but this wasn't centralized, this was distributed.

A database should really only be housed in a couple locations and people have the ability to view that database but not take it anywhere.

If this database was encrypted, this would never be a problem. Public/Private Keys are a great thing and have been around forever. These breaches are farking ridiculous and should never happen.

IP + Browser technology is a wonderful thing if you actually use it.

Alec Beevers: Another nail in the coffin for the centralised database?

Probably not!

Why should it be a nail in the coffin of centralizing data? Both government and large industry IT companies are all working towards migrating to encrypted disk and tape.

They are also tightening down on employee access to data not on their LAN or encrypted drives by disallowing access to the use of USB, CD-RW, and DVD-RW devices. All that requires is good processes and execution.

In fact, the IT industry will likely migrate to virtual desktops that are served as guests from primary servers, in which case, the data will certainly be more secure. This is both more economical, and more secure.

Some of the technology to accomplish these tasks are expensive at this point (licensing or managing), but like all new things that are early in the adoption process, will cheapen with use and time.

"What's encryption?"

BillDozer357: encryption

I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.

The problem with databases (whether centralized and difficult to access, or distributed and easy to "lose" track of data) is the fact that they can be easily changed, with no one the wiser

I don't think he's talking about an Access DB. There are computer systems around that are a little more secure than a windows server, and no, you won't be changing anything without it being tracked.