It’s happened again. Mere weeks, no, months after the first governmental data breach someone has only gone and lost a memory stick containing the details of thousands of criminals.

I’m not sure whether its part of a concerted move to lose data stored on every available memory format. So far we’ve had hard disk (laptops), CDs and now the memory stick. If they can manage to lose data via a floppy disk I’ll be seriously impressed.

Jacqui Smith has blamed PA Consulting, the private contractor hired by the government, for the loss. Wherever the fault lies I think it’s another important example of the care and expertise that needs to be applied when forming and working as part of a project across the private and public sectors.

The full story can be read here.