Security News > 2024 > February > Insider steals 79,000 email addresses at work to promote own business

A former council staff member in the district where William Shakespeare was born ransacked databases filled with residents' information to help drum up new business for their outside venture.

The UK's Stratford-on-Avon District Council concluded its investigation into a November data breach last week, finding tens of thousands of email addresses stolen from a garden and waste collection database.

A database holding information on Warwick District Council residents was also raided and has been accessible due to a joint working arrangement between the two councils.

The total number of email addresses stolen stands at around 79,000, Stratford-on-Avon District Council confirmed.

These email addresses were stolen, it's said, for the purposes of promoting the individual's business - which was unrelated to the council.

"On behalf of the council I would like to apologize for this data breach," said David Buckland, chief executive at Stratford-on-Avon District Council.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2024/02/20/insider_steals_79000_email_addresses/