Children's database can never be fully secure

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A new report has rised concern over the security of a database being set up to hold details of children across the UK.

The £224 million ContactPoint database was delayed following the HM Revenue and Customs data scandal, in order to allow auditors Deloitte to examine the system, which is being rolled out by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).

The database will let health, education and social workers track who else is working with a child, to bring together such services. It will hold details such as name, address, gender and an identifying number.

"Risk can only be managed, not eliminated, and therefore there will always be a risk of data incidents," the report warned.

At the moment, accessing the database will be restricted and controlled using a security token and a password. All valid users will be security-trained, the DCSF said. Any access to a record will be audited and tracked, and misuse will be sanctioned - possibly by fines or jail time, under the Computers Misuse Act.

But the report, which could not be released in full for security reasons, found some areas needing shoring up. The basic recommendations included ensuring proper training for any organisation who will use the database, and put in place controls - both procedural and technical - to ensure standards are followed. The report said the board should consider looking into accrediting any organisation before allowing them to connect to the database.

The access to data by central system users, such as administrators and programmers, must also be better controlled, the report said. It also called on the project to better ensure secure disposal of any media.

The report also called on the DCSF to take part in government-wide security plans, including those focusing on data, privacy and strong user authentication.

The government accepted the recommendations, and said it would look into implementing them. "I acknowledge Deloitte's recognition that security is ingrained in the ContactPoint Project team's work," said Kevin Brennan, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the DCSF. "The government accepts all the report's recommendations and will address them."

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