Opinion

ANALYSIS: Answers needed about police data breach

Private citizens and businesses affected by the data breach are seeking answers
Private citizens and businesses affected by the data breach are seeking answers Private citizens and businesses affected by the data breach are seeking answers

DISBELIEF was the main reaction yesterday from businesses and private citizens after it emerged their private information had been handed over to suspected loyalists.

People affected by the accidental release of pages and pages of data, containing names and internet passwords, were unaware their details had been compromised until contacted by The Irish News.

This paper has given a commitment to those people not to make public their names or private information.

Some are now in talks with lawyers with a view to taking legal action.

The PSNI has set up a special investigations team to look at the major security breach, but that will be of little comfort to those affected.

Those people - both commercial businesses and private citizens - want and are entitled to answers.

First, why was this information being gathered and stored?

Collecting information about private citizens' internet activity without due suspicion and a warrant signed by a senior officer or judge is not legislated for in Northern Ireland.

Then there is the duty of care of organisations such as the PSNI to protect any data that they have in their possession and prevent it falling into the wrong hands.

In this case it was put in the hands of suspected loyalists. While having no obvious use for such information, their involvement is clearly alarming to those whose data has been breached.

Why did the PSNI did not notice this pen drive missing and take steps to retrieve it?

What other members of the security and intelligence services were involved and what is going to be done to repair the damage to confidence in policing?

All questions that need answered in the coming days and months.