April 23, 2024 at 04:34AM
A UK-based company, VISAV, fixed a bug in its Neighbourhood Alert platform following a report of a security issue. The bug had allowed unverified users to access personal data of registered members, including police officers and MPs. Once aware, the company promptly rectified the issue and reported itself to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
From the meeting notes, it’s clear that there was a serious security issue with the Neighbourhood Alert platform provided by VISAV. The bug allowed unverified users to access sensitive personal data of registered Neighbourhood Watch (NW) members across the UK. This included names, home and email addresses, phone numbers, and even official email addresses of police officers and MPs.
Mike Douglas, the product director of VISAV, confirmed the issue and stressed the company’s commitment to resolving it. They have reported the incident to the UK data protection watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office, and have taken steps to fix the bug and notify all members about the issue.
Going forward, it’s important to ensure rigorous data protection protocols are in place to prevent such vulnerabilities and protect the privacy and safety of all users.