Get well: IT service provider loses USB stick with resident registration data

In the south of Japan’s main island of Honshū, an employee of an IT service provider recently put the data of around 460,000 people at risk. Like the public law NHK reported, the employee had settled down in a bar after work to end the day with a bottle of sake. At the time, he carried with him a USB stick containing Amagasaki City’s resident registration records; It contained, among other things, names, addresses, dates of birth as well as bank and tax data. The man’s company had been commissioned by the city to handle the payment of Corona aid to severely affected households. After the drink, the employee fell asleep on the street and lost the bag with the USB stick.

A rude awakening

The intoxication of the negligent employee seemed to last for quite a while, because he only reported the loss of the data stick to his employer the following day. The alarmed authorities then initiated a police search operation, which was ultimately crowned with success. In addition to the stick, the employee’s smartphone was also in the pocket, so that the police officers could “beep” them, so to speak. According to the city administration, the residents’ registration data was encrypted and password-protected, but they advised caution for the foreseeable future.

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It is quite common in Japan to stop off at one of the numerous pubs after a day’s work. Employees often drink here with their bosses, but more out of a sense of duty. Likewise, due to the country’s harsh working culture, excessive alcohol consumption is common – perhaps the loss of the data stick was the result of overtime not being worked off.

Source: via golem