Afghans burnt by UK data leak because someone used email to send a large sensitive dataset -- which email service, anyone know? (www.theguardian.com)
from evenwicht@lemmy.sdf.org to cybersecurity@infosec.pub on 16 Jul 16:10
https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/38677696

cross-posted from: lemmy.sdf.org/post/38677119

Indeed it was stupid for someone to send a large sensitive dataset over email. But what I find annoying is the lack of chatter about which email servers were compromised.

Was it Microsoft, considering probably 90+% of all gov agencies use it?

#cybersecurity

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Jerry@feddit.online on 16 Jul 16:54 collapse

The article referenced by the article just mentions it was sent to the wrong people. I don't know how this puts blame on any particular email provider.

evenwicht@lemmy.sdf.org on 17 Jul 12:19 collapse

There are different narratives. What I believe I heard on BBC radio was that the sender intended to just send a few records to the recipient but accidentally sent the full dataset of 18,000 (or 19,000) records.

Other sources, like the one I linked, say the error was that the wrong recipient was emailed.

It’s surprising that as big as the story is, reporting of the tech details is lousy. A couple sources say the data was a spreadsheet, which seems to support what the Guardian says.

Jerry@feddit.online on 17 Jul 13:34 collapse

It's true. The media often doesn't care about the details, which are the most important bits.