Concern Over Repeated Data Exposures Affecting Afghans Fleeing the Taliban - Assalamu alaikum
Assalamu alaikum - I came across a worrying report about repeated exposures of sensitive information belonging to Afghans who worked with UK forces and later fled the Taliban.
A UK defence official once left a government laptop screen visible to other passengers on a train, revealing personal details. That was just one of many mistakes from the ministry unit handling relocation and resettlement. In other cases, emails with sensitive data were accidentally sent to unrelated social groups, welcome letters meant for relocated families went to the wrong addresses, and insecure systems or improper access by staff put people’s identities at risk.
These incidents are part of a wider problem: about 49 separate data-security lapses were identified after a major 2022 leak exposed a spreadsheet with details of nearly 19,000 Afghans applying under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy. Some of those whose information was leaked have reported that relatives or colleagues were later harmed.
Only a small number of the incidents were reported to the UK data watchdog, which ultimately decided not to open a full investigation into the big February 2022 leak. The information commissioner later said the regulator had relied on the ministry’s honesty when deciding not to probe further. Parliamentary oversight figures have expressed disappointment and said more should have been done to protect vulnerable people.
A civil servant in the ministry has said the leak was caused by inadequate systems and the pressures of an urgent evacuation operation, and that steps have been taken since to strengthen data protection.
May Allah protect the vulnerable and guide those in charge to take serious, lasting measures so people who risked their lives to help others are not put in further danger.
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