Ministry says TeliaSonera sent confidential information in unprotected e-mail messages

Telecommunications company denies ministry claims

Ritva Viljanen

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According to the Ministry of the Interior, the risk of a leak of confidential information concerning thousands of employees working for institutions controlled by the ministry emerged when the telecommunications service provider TeliaSonera sent personal and mobile telephone information on thousands of the ministry's employees in unprotected e-mail messages. TeliaSonera insists that nobody's data protection was in jeopardy.
      The ministry continues to urge police officers and other employees under its authority to avoid talking about confidential matters on mobile telephones using a TeliaSonera subscription.
      Sniping between the ministry and TeliaSonera escalated to exceptional levels on Wednesday. Officials at the Interior Ministry took exception to a press release by TeliaSonera, in which the company gave its own version of the events.
     
The ministry had also sent its own report, which noted that releasing specific details of the risk could endanger the security of some police officers, for instance.
      According to the TeliaSonera press release, the case is linked with the bid for tenders issued by the Interior Ministry last year, where the ministry sought a supplier for its data communications services. Elisa won the competition for mobile telephone connections.
      According to the press release, the Ministry of the Interior asked TeliaSonera in January this year to supply the subscriber data to the members of the joint working group comprising ministry officials and company representatives.
      TeliaSonera supplied the information by e-mail. The company notes that the e-mail did not contain confidential information, and that no outsiders had access to the messages.
     
The ministry says that the company is giving out erroneous information. "We were only asking for telephone number information. TeliaSonera nevertheless sent the personal information of more than 7,000 people without any attempt to protect it. There was far too much information, and it was sent to too many people", says Ritva Viljanen, the Permanent Secretary at the ministry.
      Viljanen says that the e-mails contained much confidential information about thousands of employees and their mobile phone subscriptions. These included information about the specific tasks of the employees.
     
"I would never have imagined that TeliaSonera would violate confidential customer relations so significantly. The company's press release has increased the risk to our personnel still further", Viljanen says.
      "The company clearly underestimated the significance of data protection. We are a security authority, whose networks hackers try to infiltrate every day, also from abroad."
      The Ministry of the Interior is also annoyed that TeliaSonera mentioned last Friday's "confidential" meeting in its press release. In the meeting, those present discussed the possibility of eavesdropping. Those taking part in the meeting included Esa Korvenmaa,TeliaSonera Finland's Chief Operating Officer.
      "If we are accused in this way, we must defend ourselves", Korvenmaa says, explaining why the press release was sent.
      The Ministry of the Interior plans to demand compensation from TeliaSonera, and is considering sending a complaint to the police.
      In addition, the ministry plans to switch over to Elisa sooner than originally planned.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Interior Ministry concerned over large mobile phone security breach (15.2.2006)

Links:
  TeliaSonera

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