Ofcom has had the biggest security breach in its history after an ex-employee was caught offering confidential data on TV companies to his new employee, a major broadcaster.
The incident forced the media watchdog to send out dozens of letters explaining the breach to TV companies holding an Ofcom licence. It is believed the former employee managed to download as much as six years’ worth of data, according to the Guardian.
In a statement, an Ofcom spokeswoman said: “On 26 February we became aware of an incident involving the misuse of third-party data by a former Ofcom employee. This was a breach of the former employee’s statutory duty under the Communications Act and a breach of the contract with Ofcom.
“Ofcom takes the protection of data extremely seriously, and we are very disappointed that a former employee has chosen to act in this manner. The extent of the disclosure was limited and has been contained, and we have taken urgent steps to inform all parties.”
It is believed that Ofcom was informed of the breach by senior executives at the unnamed broadcaster. The broadcaster is not thought to have exploited the data, which would have been quite useful from a competitive standpoint.
As no personal data was involved, it is not compulsory for the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to be notified, although it is understood that Ofcom informed the watchdog of the incident anyway.
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