RIGA — A massive oversight in security of Latvia’s database for taxpayers resulted in a huge informational leak with over 7 million documents comprising 120 gigabites in what some are speculating is the largest such breach in the country’s history.

News of the leak was first reported late Sunday by Latvian Television, which claimed that income and tax records of politicians, businessmen and other well-off Latvians were downloaded from the State Revenue Service’s electronic tax-filing site over a period of several months, if not more. Stolen information would include tax returns, income statement and personal codes of both legal entities and individuals such as President Valdis Zatlers — data that could be used [private_supervisor]malignantly in an election here. Government officials reacted angrily to the news, vowing that the culprits would be caught and punished.

Zatlers called on the State Revenue Service to accept responsibility for the egregious oversight, while defense minister Imants Lieģis called for a sweeping check of every key database in Latvia so as to prevent “unpredictable consequences.”

Einars Repše, whose finance ministry oversees the Latvia’s revenue agency, assured that the guilty parties would be punished and that fault should be placed at the service’s door, and not the minstry’s.

Remarkably, news of the leak coincides with a messy political scandal involving the country’s former chief tax collector, Dzintars Jakāns, who was sacked by Repše for insubordination — a move that sparked a huge row among the ruling coalition.

According to one report, the data was stolen between Nov. 2009 and Jan. 2010, during which Jakāns was fighting to retain his job as chairman of the service.

Commenting the leak, Jakāns told the Delfi.lv news portal that the leak was likely created intentionally by someone in the IT department. While some tax returns are publicly available, like those of elected officials, others such as those of officials’ spouses and relatives are secret. In the wrong hands, the information could become a powerful tool during an election year such as 2010.

Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis said two inquiries — one by the finance ministry and another by the State Revenue Service — would be completed in a few days’ time. “Then further steps will become clear,” he was quoted by BNS as saying.

In the meantime, the State Police have launched an investigation into the leak, while the State Inspectorate for Data Defense will assist in trying to determine how such a breach could have been possible. Businessmen said the leak seriously undermines trust in a crucial state agency and that some people whose data was stolen could try to sue the government for damages.
[/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]malignantly in an election here. Government officials reacted angrily to the news, vowing that the culprits would be caught and punished.

Zatlers called on the State Revenue Service to accept responsibility for the egregious oversight, while defense minister Imants Lieģis called for a sweeping check of every key database in Latvia so as to prevent “unpredictable consequences.”

Einars Repše, whose finance ministry oversees the Latvia’s revenue agency, assured that the guilty parties would be punished and that fault should be placed at the service’s door, and not the minstry’s.

Remarkably, news of the leak coincides with a messy political scandal involving the country’s former chief tax collector, Dzintars Jakāns, who was sacked by Repše for insubordination — a move that sparked a huge row among the ruling coalition.

According to one report, the data was stolen between Nov. 2009 and Jan. 2010, during which Jakāns was fighting to retain his job as chairman of the service.

Commenting the leak, Jakāns told the Delfi.lv news portal that the leak was likely created intentionally by someone in the IT department. While some tax returns are publicly available, like those of elected officials, others such as those of officials’ spouses and relatives are secret. In the wrong hands, the information could become a powerful tool during an election year such as 2010.

Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis said two inquiries — one by the finance ministry and another by the State Revenue Service — would be completed in a few days’ time. “Then further steps will become clear,” he was quoted by BNS as saying.

In the meantime, the State Police have launched an investigation into the leak, while the State Inspectorate for Data Defense will assist in trying to determine how such a breach could have been possible. Businessmen said the leak seriously undermines trust in a crucial state agency and that some people whose data was stolen could try to sue the government for damages.[/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]malignantly in an election here. Government officials reacted angrily to the news, vowing that the culprits would be caught and punished.

Zatlers called on the State Revenue Service to accept responsibility for the egregious oversight, while defense minister Imants Lieģis called for a sweeping check of every key database in Latvia so as to prevent “unpredictable consequences.”

Einars Repše, whose finance ministry oversees the Latvia’s revenue agency, assured that the guilty parties would be punished and that fault should be placed at the service’s door, and not the minstry’s.

Remarkably, news of the leak coincides with a messy political scandal involving the country’s former chief tax collector, Dzintars Jakāns, who was sacked by Repše for insubordination — a move that sparked a huge row among the ruling coalition.

According to one report, the data was stolen between Nov. 2009 and Jan. 2010, during which Jakāns was fighting to retain his job as chairman of the service.

Commenting the leak, Jakāns told the Delfi.lv news portal that the leak was likely created intentionally by someone in the IT department. While some tax returns are publicly available, like those of elected officials, others such as those of officials’ spouses and relatives are secret. In the wrong hands, the information could become a powerful tool during an election year such as 2010.

Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis said two inquiries — one by the finance ministry and another by the State Revenue Service — would be completed in a few days’ time. “Then further steps will become clear,” he was quoted by BNS as saying.

In the meantime, the State Police have launched an investigation into the leak, while the State Inspectorate for Data Defense will assist in trying to determine how such a breach could have been possible. Businessmen said the leak seriously undermines trust in a crucial state agency and that some people whose data was stolen could try to sue the government for damages.[/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]malignantly in an election here. Government officials reacted angrily to the news, vowing that the culprits would be caught and punished.

Zatlers called on the State Revenue Service to accept responsibility for the egregious oversight, while defense minister Imants Lieģis called for a sweeping check of every key database in Latvia so as to prevent “unpredictable consequences.”

Einars Repše, whose finance ministry oversees the Latvia’s revenue agency, assured that the guilty parties would be punished and that fault should be placed at the service’s door, and not the minstry’s.

Remarkably, news of the leak coincides with a messy political scandal involving the country’s former chief tax collector, Dzintars Jakāns, who was sacked by Repše for insubordination — a move that sparked a huge row among the ruling coalition.

According to one report, the data was stolen between Nov. 2009 and Jan. 2010, during which Jakāns was fighting to retain his job as chairman of the service.

Commenting the leak, Jakāns told the Delfi.lv news portal that the leak was likely created intentionally by someone in the IT department. While some tax returns are publicly available, like those of elected officials, others such as those of officials’ spouses and relatives are secret. In the wrong hands, the information could become a powerful tool during an election year such as 2010.

Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis said two inquiries — one by the finance ministry and another by the State Revenue Service — would be completed in a few days’ time. “Then further steps will become clear,” he was quoted by BNS as saying.

In the meantime, the State Police have launched an investigation into the leak, while the State Inspectorate for Data Defense will assist in trying to determine how such a breach could have been possible. Businessmen said the leak seriously undermines trust in a crucial state agency and that some people whose data was stolen could try to sue the government for damages.[/private_subscription 1 year]

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