Copy of an email sent to Chief Executive and other senior staff at DCC on 28 Oct 2002. New email addresses had to be created to send this, to defeat the blocks put on my existing addresses at the DCC server. In the era of 'open government' and 'e-government', taxpayers who ask awkward questions will not be permitted easily to contact the public servants whose salaries they are forced to pay! Nevertheless, it is unknown how many DCC staff actually received a copy, as many could have been deleted centrally after the first was reported.
To: Mr Jenkinson, Chief Executive Devon County Council
cc: Senior Staff, Devon Library Services.
Software error on Devon library computers
could put children at risk of viewing unsuitable material
You have failed over several months to take any substantive notice of my suggestions and complaints regarding PN computers. Nevertheless, in the public interest and in accordance with the 'responsible disclosure' model, I am bringing to your attention what I consider to be a serious software error. As one of my last experiments before being 'banned' for asking too many questions, I determined that contrary to what I was told in a letter dated 21 August, it is possible to store downloaded or other material on the C: drive (partition D:data) where it can be accessed many weeks later, even using a children's ticket. I am aware of no serious exploits of this weakness but half term week may enhance the risk.
I discovered the fault by accident when investigating file compression options for scanned images and subsequently confirmed it on PN computers selected at random. Necessarily, my experiments lasted a number of weeks. The 'illicit' storage can include material from the Internet or scanned in by a someone whose identity might never be verifiable for reasons already explained to you. I was only very recently able to arrange for the experiments to be completed by confirming access using a children's ticket.
My concern now, and again in the public interest, is that the fault may be present on PN machines elsewhere in the country. If you can assure me that it is restricted to those in Devon, being the result of internal DITS programming, and if you would care properly to acknowledge my helpfulness in bringing this to your attention, then there will be no need for me to encourage the Press to investigate systems over any wider area. Contrary to what you may believe I am not a particular fan of 'expose' journalism.
Please let me have your response by tomorrow. I shall be claiming a public interest defence in having experimented with systems further to demonstrate your incompetence in data protection, privacy and related computer matters. I am aware from having been allowed to read your 'internal' Q&A document that one group of libraries had its computers closed down because of access by a child to 'unsuitable' material. The correct reference is apparently to a local authority not to a group of libraries.
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