Tech

Fallout from PSNI data breach deserves to be taken seriously

The incident highlights the importance of locking down sensitive data, and understanding and mitigating against cyber attacks

Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Simon Byrne. The PSNI breach accidentally revealed the details of close to 10,000 PSNI staff and officers in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. Picture PA

That news of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) data breach was quickly replaced in the media by a focus on a technical glitch in which bank customers were able to temporarily withdraw more money than they had in their accounts, says a lot about how the North is viewed in the Republic.

While both amusing and embarrassing in equal measure, the Bank of Ireland blunder easily pales into insignificance when compared to the ...