UK Defence Committee blames MoD for leak of 25,000 afghans’ data — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The UK House of Commons Defence Committee has concluded that the exposure of the personal data of around 25,000 Afghans who applied for resettlement in the United Kingdom resulted from a “systemic and foreseeable failure” by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The committee found that the MoD failed to adequately safeguard sensitive information, ensure accountability, and effectively manage the fallout from the breach. According to the Financial Times, the committee’s report says that in February 2022, a British soldier accidentally emailed an Excel spreadsheet containing the personal details of approximately 25,000 Afghan applicants for relocation to the UK to an individual outside the government. The leaked data included information on Afghans who had worked with the British government before the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan returned to power, exposing them to an increased risk of retaliation. The committee said officials initially believed the spreadsheet contained information on only about 150 people. However, it was later discovered that it also held the confidential details of an additional 18,500 applicants. The report criticizes the MoD for relying on large Excel spreadsheets to store highly sensitive personal information without adequately addressing the security risks associated with such files. It concludes that the breach “was the product of a system that lacked the tools, controls, training, and assurance mechanisms appropriate to the sensitivity…