14 DAY TRIAL // Recent inquiries revealed that the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MoD) is having difficulties taking care of their IT equipment, the number of device losses from May 2010 totaling somewhere close to 1000.
In a response to a TheyWorkForYou inquiry, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Andrew Robathan revealed that the large number of losses was almost inevitable due to “size and complexity” of the MoD.
“The size and complexity of the MOD, more than 250,000 individuals operating all round the world, from permanent bases and in theatre and with frequent movement of kit between locations in support of operations, means it is almost inevitable that equipment will go missing,” Robathan said.
The figures show that 99 desktop computers, 188 laptops, 18 mobile phones, 10 BlackBerrys, 194 disks, 72 removable hard drives, 6 printers, 73 memory sticks and 150 backup tapes were lost in the past 18 months.
Robathan also compares the losses from 2008 and 2009, when 326, respectively 129, laptops went missing.
In a blog post on the official website of the MoD, representatives of the Ministry claim that 20 of the laptops were recovered and in cases where it’s possible, all the information stored on government devices is encrypted.
“Processes, instructions and technological aids are being continually reviewed, revised and implemented to mitigate human errors and further raise the awareness of every individual in the Department of their vital role in protecting MOD information and assets,” the post reads.
“The level of detail with which we record these incidents of loss and theft is indicative of the importance we place on this matter.”
It may be true that some losses are inevitable, but hopefully the decrease in the number of incidents is a true sign that their working hard to prevent these situations, as we’ve witnessed before the dangers involved when a state worker loses a device that stores sensitive data.