Laptops Lost at Britain’s Ministry of Silly Security

John Sterlicchi

One laptop is lost every two days by bureaucrats at Britain’s Ministry of Defence with 659 reported stolen and 89 lost by the department in the past four years.

Last week Des Browne, Defence Secretary, issued the embarrassingly high figures after anomalies in a previous statement were discovered. Previously the MoD had admitted to 347 laptops being stolen.

He confirmed that 658 laptops had been stolen and 89 lost since 2004, almost double the previous figure released by the MoD. Only 32 have been recovered. The latest theft brings the total number of computers lost by the MoD in the past four years to 748.

The ministry also revealed last week that 121 of its USB memory sticks have been either lost or stolen since 2004.

Information on three was secret and 19 carried data classified as restricted.

"It seems this government simply cannot be trusted with keeping sensitive information safe. It is frightening to think that secret MoD information can be lost or stolen," said opposition politician Liberal Democrat, Sarah Teather.

Menatime the MoD has recalled 20,000 laptops to be encrypted. The move comes after last month's Burton report found that although MoD policies and procedures are "generally fit for purpose", there are a number of areas in which it "needs to do better" to protect personal data.

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