Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2013/08/06/daily_mail_data_breach/

Horrific moment curvy mum-of-none Mail Online spills everyone's data

'Once you go cyber, they got you by the short n curlies'

By Kelly Fiveash

Posted in Security, 6th August 2013 15:32 GMT

Middle England will be shocked to discover that the Daily Mail's website, the world's most read online newspaper, has only gone and admitted to a shameful data security cock-up.

The publication - which is known for displaying loads of pictures of tits and ass online normally alongside an equal amount of outrage about tits and ass online - has alerted world+dog that there was an "URGENT problem" with its users' profiles.

(Mail Online has just celebrated unaudited record readership figures of 134 million unique browsers in July, but it's not exactly the online version of the right-wing Daily Mail as much of its racy content would never be published in the paper edition.)

The outlet's senior communities editor Tessa Meneux, who has the thankless task of wrangling Daily Mail comments, breathlessly confessed at lunchtime today:

Hello

I've been frantically emailing readers this morning.

Last night we had a technical issue with our user profile and login service that resulted in a bug with the display of user profiles. When viewing your profile page users were presented with a copy of another user's profile page instead of their own. The issue is now resolved.

We take your privacy very seriously and we would like to reassure you that we have undertaken several rigorous tests to ensure that your data is secure. Other users were never able to see your password or other encrypted data, post comments on your behalf or make any changes to your profile.

Thank you for your patience and please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused. If you have any further questions or concerns about this matter, please let us know.

At time of writing, however, it's unclear whether the newspaper had turned itself into the Information Commissioner's Office. Meneux certainly didn't suggest that the UK's data regulator had been made aware of the breach.

The Register has very kindly done the legwork for the Mail by passing on the details of the blunder to the ICO.

Meanwhile, some Mail Online readers appeared utterly disgusted with the security gaffe. Some peeps complained they were greeted with someone else's full name, date of birth and email address.

One user frothed: "That was a serious breach of security ... wish I had known I would never have joined this forum ... was there any compensation offered for the security breach? If not why not???"

Another, meanwhile, couldn't resist the opportunity to simply blame the internet:

Am truly disgusted by this news and it's another nail in the coffin of despicable things that happen all the time now. This strengthens my 'argument' for not going cyber ... once you are cyber, 'they' got you by the short n curlies.

We'll update this story if the Mail does furnish us with a statement. ®