14 DAY TRIAL // Parents who utilized the services of Gabbitas – a firm that specializes in offering consultancy regarding independent education institutions – were shocked to learn that the personal details of their children ended up online for anyone to see.
According to The Telegraph, information on the children’s personality and school achievements could be accessed via a simple Google search. In some cases, even notes written by parents regarding learning difficulties or illnesses could be found among the records.
The privacy breach affects a number of officials, banker, businessmen, and celebrities who have been relying on the firm’s services to find schools for their children.
Soon after learning of the incident, Prospects Services - the company that owns Gabbitas - shut down the website and launched an investigation into the matter. They claim that a cyberattack caused the information to become publicly available on the UK Independent Schools Guide website.
In the meantime, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched its own investigation in an attempt to determine if any action should be taken against the responsible company.