Comments on: Kids’ databases http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/ Security Research, Computer Laboratory, University of Cambridge Sun, 27 Jul 2008 09:29:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Ross Anderson http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-27680 Ross Anderson Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:07:11 +0000 http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-27680 A year later: there are now three videos on this topic on YouTube - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRQr2VrtX-0" rel="nofollow">here</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KH-1IumXZbI" rel="nofollow">here</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyXCSg-lRkA" rel="nofollow">here</a>. A year later: there are now three videos on this topic on YouTube - here, here and here.

]]> By: George of the Jungle http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-9169 George of the Jungle Sat, 16 Dec 2006 08:11:47 +0000 http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-9169 The mis-spelling of names, mentioned above in at least one high-profile case, will be a problem that will remain an endemic probelm to any national databases that the UK Government and all its departments hold. This is because 80% of the workers in the Government, including policemen, firemen (yes, i use the old term, and damnation to bloody PC), municipal workers, and Governemt workers are under-educated, lazy, unmotivated and generally lacking in any good practices that ask them to be careful about the data they enter or handle. This is true. The only solution, in my expert opinion as an IT Consultant, is to abolish any electronic databases, and go back to the old pen-and-paper records. The mis-spelling of names, mentioned above in at least one high-profile case, will be a problem that will remain an endemic probelm to any national databases that the UK Government and all its departments hold. This is because 80% of the workers in the Government, including policemen, firemen (yes, i use the old term, and damnation to bloody PC), municipal workers, and Governemt workers are under-educated, lazy, unmotivated and generally lacking in any good practices that ask them to be careful about the data they enter or handle. This is true. The only solution, in my expert opinion as an IT Consultant, is to abolish any electronic databases, and go back to the old pen-and-paper records.

]]> By: Ross Anderson http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-9100 Ross Anderson Fri, 15 Dec 2006 22:52:18 +0000 http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-9100 ... also reported in the <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2505376.html" rel="nofollow">Times</a> … also reported in the Times

]]> By: Ross Anderson http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-8998 Ross Anderson Fri, 15 Dec 2006 11:18:44 +0000 http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-8998 It looks like the Independent Schools Council <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/12/15/ndata15.xml" rel="nofollow">gets it</a>. It looks like the Independent Schools Council gets it.

]]> By: Ross Anderson http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-7203 Ross Anderson Wed, 29 Nov 2006 12:20:10 +0000 http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-7203 Followup articles in <a href="http://www.childrennow.co.uk/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=details&UID=d31d68b4-b7aa-49ab-acef-4921d73d91b2" rel="nofollow">Children Now</a> (with an <a href="http://www.childrennow.co.uk/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=details&UID=1d84973d-e1a5-4a57-a386-03880ac395d1" rel="nofollow">opinion piece</a>), and <a href="http://www.ypnmagazine.co.uk/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=full_news&ID=12526" rel="nofollow" rel="nofollow">Young People Now</a>. Followup articles in Children Now (with an opinion piece), and Young People Now.

]]> By: Clive Robinson http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-7124 Clive Robinson Tue, 28 Nov 2006 22:06:15 +0000 http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-7124 @Ross, "Beverly Hughes, tried to smear us in" There might be a financial reason for this... If you have been to any Labour Party confs etc you would notice just how much is funded one way or another by the various technology companies biding for the work on these ICT systems. You might just be trying to shoot Tony's "golden goose". @Ross,

“Beverly Hughes, tried to smear us in”

There might be a financial reason for this…

If you have been to any Labour Party confs etc you would notice just how much is funded one way or another by the various technology companies biding for the work on these ICT systems.

You might just be trying to shoot Tony’s “golden goose”.

]]> By: Ross Anderson http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-6693 Ross Anderson Sat, 25 Nov 2006 13:37:41 +0000 http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-6693 The minister responsible for the databases, Beverly Hughes, tried to smear us in <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2006/11/24/nosplit/dt2401.xml" rel="nofollow">Friday's Telegraph</a>. We made a robust response in <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2006/11/25/nosplit/dt2501.xml" rel="nofollow">Saturday's</a>. It's a shame that British politicians now by reflex use ad-hominem arguments when criticised, especially when the criticism is backed by evidence, and especially when it comes from experts. The civil service no longer has the bottle to 'speak truth unto power'; it seems that anyone who tries to is considered mad or bad. I understand that there will be an article on this in next week's Times Higher Educational Supplement. The minister responsible for the databases, Beverly Hughes, tried to smear us in Friday’s Telegraph. We made a robust response in Saturday’s. It’s a shame that British politicians now by reflex use ad-hominem arguments when criticised, especially when the criticism is backed by evidence, and especially when it comes from experts. The civil service no longer has the bottle to ’speak truth unto power’; it seems that anyone who tries to is considered mad or bad. I understand that there will be an article on this in next week’s Times Higher Educational Supplement.

]]> By: Francis http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-6198 Francis Wed, 22 Nov 2006 20:08:13 +0000 http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-6198 It seems to me that the government works in the same way as Microsoft. They come up with great ideas which could work well but which are open to all sorts of abuse from those who are malicious in one way or another. This is just another example albeit possibly not quite as fatally flawed as the ID card trainwreck... It seems to me that the government works in the same way as Microsoft. They come up with great ideas which could work well but which are open to all sorts of abuse from those who are malicious in one way or another. This is just another example albeit possibly not quite as fatally flawed as the ID card trainwreck…

]]> By: Ross Anderson http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-6181 Ross Anderson Wed, 22 Nov 2006 18:08:01 +0000 http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-6181 Further pieces in <a href="http://www.silicon.com/publicsector/0,3800010403,39164238,00.htm" rel="nofollow">silicon.com</a>, <a href="http://www.computerweekly.com/Home/Articles/2006/11/22/220104/Experts+criticise+government+child+database+plans.htm" rel="nofollow">Computer Weekly</a>, <a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/22/child_abuse_database_risk/" rel="nofollow">The Register</a> and the <a href="http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1730262006" rel="nofollow">Scotsman</a> Further pieces in silicon.com, Computer Weekly, The Register and the Scotsman

]]> By: Ross Anderson http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-6174 Ross Anderson Wed, 22 Nov 2006 17:22:47 +0000 http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2006/11/22/kids-databases/#comment-6174 ... and another in <a href="http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2006/11/22/102297/Children's+index+will+'divert+resources+from+frontline.html" rel="nofollow">Community Care</a> … and another in Community Care

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