According to the latest annual report from the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) the government organisation has made major changes to the way it secures its information.
The organisation now has information on well over 40 million drivers and nearly 35 million individual vehicles and makes nearly 112 million transactions annually.
A few weeks ago a national newspaper was able to obtain personal information about several actors apparently from DVLA records. Journalists had noted down the registration numbers of several actors vehicles and were able to obtain information that should not be available to the public.
The DVLA admitted that there had been “widespread” abuse by the media with regard to obtaining personal information from the DVLA illegally.
According to the new report a whole set of new strict controls are now employed in order to enhance not only electronic data security but also physical security of items such as memory sticks.
They have now introduced encrypted laptop’s and any kind of external data storage device such as a USB memory stick are totally banned and this is reinforced by technical assistance to physically stop their use.
In addition any information that is offered on CD is now strongly encrypted. All information which needs to be passed from one computer to another is now performed by an electronic link rather than any kind of portable data device.
They have also made considerable changes and increases to the physical security of their headquarters in Swansea.
