Nationwide Looses 11m Customers information

Lorian

As a nationwide customer I'm pretty concerned to see reports of up to 11 Million customers information being on a stolen laptop.

I'm even more concerned it is reported to have happened 3 months ago. Why the delay in writing to customers?

It would be nice if Martin could use his 'clout' to find out some more details of what was actually stolen:


Names
Address?
Phone numbers?
Account numbers?
Balances?
Mother's maiden name?
Other information?

What format was the data in?
Was it password protected?
Was it encrypted?
What is the company data security policy?

Were the Nationwide not concerened that a laptop will all this data could fall in to competitor or criminal hands?

/an outraged nationwide saver.

mrs_deadline

Shocking. Apparently there will be more on Radio 4 at midday

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/moneybox/6160054.stm

amcluesent

From the BBC -

"It is reassuring customers that no PIN numbers, account passwords or memorable information was on the laptop.

But it does not deny that names and account numbers could have been."

Cypher

Why would anyone need to have 11 Million people's information stored on a laptop anyway. Surely with modern computing, internet links etc the user if travelling around would be able to log on to the internet and call up the customers details when required. or they could just grab all that days customers before leaving the office. The fact they carry them all around is scarey and makes me wonder what other personal information was stored.

I've just opened a Nationwide current account this week, and I'm now wondering if that was wise.

Cypher

I have just this minute recieved my initial paper work through from Nationwide. I am absolutely amazed to find on one of the forms the password I used when applying for the account. It is clearly written on the sheet in plain text for all to see :eek:
What are they playing at. :mad:

ManAtHome

amcluesent wrote:

"It is reassuring customers that no PIN numbers, account passwords or memorable information was on the laptop.

That makes it scarier - either they're "spinning" or they knew what was on the laptop and still let somebody take it home...

kenshaz

Now I know why they gave me a difficult time when ,I made a mistake with my memorable data on the phone,obviously they are on high alert,its like taking a verbal test and if you fail you will have to go into the branch,but of course it is all clear now. I think we should all relax ,if some-one does use this information ,Nationwide will be liable ,so they will pay for their loss ,if not then all is fine,they will have taken measures and a lesson learned.Discarded paper data in the street by other banks was far worse.

ReportInvestor

kenshaz wrote:

Nationwide will be liable, so they will pay for their loss

I know what you mean, but it is also the case that, as a mutual, all Nationwide members will pay as they own the society & any compensation for loss will be money that does not find its way to the society's reserves.

I just can't see the justification for having that amount of member's information on a lap top and I shall ask them about it at the next AGM.

Or if anyone is free on 23rd November 2006

Book your place at the next "Members meet the directors" forum in the Emirates Stadium in London where you can put the question to Stuart Bernau and Jeremy Wood

steady__eddie

As a technothicky myself, would anyone care to hazard a guess at what size the hard drive was in the aforementioned stolen laptop as I am contemplating updating my own machine in the very near future and one capable of storing that amount of data would probably satisfy my requirements ?

A_Nice_Englishman

ReportInvestor wrote:

I know what you mean, but it is also the case that, as a mutual, all Nationwide members will pay as they own the society & any compensation for loss will be money that does not find its way to the society's reserves.

I just can't see the justification for having that amount of member's information on a lap top and I shall ask them about it at the next AGM.

Or if anyone is free on 26th November 2006

Book your place at the next "Members meet the directors" forum in the Emirates Stadium in London where you can put the question to Stuart Bernau and Jeremy Wood

The only reason I can think of for having 11 million customers' (sorry, members') information is that the employee was doing some sort of analysis using an extract from the corporate database. In this case the data should have been 'anonymised' so that it could not be linked to particular people.

ReportInvestor

Nationwide refuses to rule out introducing fees for its Flex current account

What was a routine "talkback session" with members on 26th November is starting to look more interesting than usual .