City Website Glitch Allows Access to Private Information
Monday, September 17, 2012 @ 5:59 AM
Prince George, B.C. – A security glitch on the City of Prince George website has the City’s I.T. department reviewing security.
250 News learned last night that entering a simple search term on a search engine, turns up a link to a page on the City’s website that has personal information on every person who has filed a pot hole complaint with the City since June of 2011.
There are more than 1000 pothole reports with private information available on this page as it provides the name, phone number and email address of the person who filed the report.
City Councillor Garth Frizzell says the news of this glitch is concerning “It’s about having trust in a system, whether it be a phone system or in this case, a computer system. Certainly it is something we will have to examine and correct.”
The fact a search engine had the information “pop up” means the search engine has had a robot spider accessing the pages in question.
The extent of the breach of privacy has yet to be determined.
Comments
Lesson is, don’t complain about the potholes?
‘City Councillor Garth Frizzell says the news of this glitch is concerning âItâs about having trust in a system, whether it be a phone system or in this case, a computer system. Certainly it is something we will have to examine and correct.â
“Examine and correct”?! Shut it down until it’s fixed. I can’t believe that a tech geek like Frizzell can be so meally-mouthed about such an agregious lapse of security. He’s already been in politic too long!
Omg burn all the phone books too then! People are so paranoid give me a break! You want find out who your neighbors neighbor is it isn’t hard. Never heard of “People Finder”?
I agree with noway, people are paranoid. That information is already out there.
Your name, address, and telepone information is already out there, however your complaint to City Hall, and the Nature of the complaint, etc; is private and confidential information, and is not readily available on the internet.
Two entirely different things.
Confidential information, such as Medical Records, School Information, Work History, Income Tax etc; is not available to the general public, nor should it be.
So this breach of security is in fact serious.
“So this breach of security is in fact serious”. I completely agree with this statement. IMO this statement should be kept in mind by the Skakun lovers putting him on a pedestal for what he did. Some innocent people had their personal information (more than just phone numbers)leaked to the public because of that. These rules/laws are in place for a reason. One would hope that this is just a mistake and not intentional…, and hopefully inconcequential. If this had been a bylaw complaint where neighors were complaining agaist neighours, (same system I’m assuming)I’m sure some fur would be flying.
Skakungate and potholes? Not the same thing?
If you put you info online there is not a %100 guarantee it’s safe, with all the online “tools” you can find out almost anything you want. Only way to be 100% secure is to never log online, don’t use a cell phone.
It’s a gamble like everything else.
“Skakungate and potholes? Not the same thing? “
Totally different…one is a pothole and the other is a crackpot:P
Simple solution…look up your neighbour’s number in the phone book and report the pothole with his information along with a myneighbour@hotmail.com email address;)
Person information is NOT already out there as stated by a few. There are many of us that have unlisted phone numbers for many reasons including serious safety concerns with the types of clients we work with or situations where people that have left domestic violence and are in hiding. So, yes it is a very big deal if suddenly where we live is there for everyone to see.
Unlisted means nothing now, just takes a bit more effort is all. The Internet is a extremely powerful tool with no real ” policing” due to different policies around the world.
I’m not understanding why it’s necessary to have personal information associated with a pothole report. Does it somehow make the pothole more real?
The same IT department is protecting information on the following online services:
-Homeowner Grants
-Online payment of parking tickets
-Online payment of dog licenses
-Online payment of business license renewals
Will a different word in the search box allow access to these?
Brian Skakun votes for fluoride!!
Say no to Fluoride, Say NO to Brian Skakun!!
“I’m not understanding why it’s necessary to have personal information associated with a pothole report. Does it somehow make the pothole more real?”
They are bureaucrats. Bueaucrats have a form and information fetish.
If a form is not fully and accurately filled out, the key information on it does not exist.
edmonton’s site
http://coewebapps3.edmonton.ca/pothole//default.aspx
A few months back I was on my company web site and found out I could do a search to bring up everyone’s official ICBC drivers abstract. Some had some embarrassing things I found out. I reported it to the company and they said it too was a computer glitch.
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