Red faces at McAfee after it releases personal data
Email slip-up blamed.
By Rodney Gedda, Computerworld Australia | Computerworld Australia | Published: 10:07, 30 July 2009
Red faces at McAfee after it releases personal data
STRAP: Email slip-up blamed.
By Rodney Gedda, Computerworld Australia
Staff at security vendor McAfee were left with red faces this week after it accidentally sent the contact details of some1,400 conference attendees in a spreadsheet attached to a thank you message.
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Computerworld Australia obtained details about the leak from a person who wishes to remain anonymous.
On 17 July, McAfee held a security conference at the Sydney Convention Centre. The event was well attended by 1,408 guests.
But in an email a week later thanking people for attending, McAfee added a spreadsheet containing the names, numbers, email addresses, employment details, and even dietary requirements of the 1,408 people, according to the source.
As expected McAfee went into damage control and immediately posted a message to those who received the list "instructing" them to delete it.
A spokesperson for McAfee said the company sincerely apologises for the outcome and the inconvenience caused.
"We managed to intercept this email before it completed and are issuing an email instructing recipients to delete it," The spokesperson said.
"McAfee has stringent guidelines on use of personal data and have put in place appropriate measures to ensure that this does not happen again."
McAfee was invited to comment but did respond at the time of writing.
