The UK's Information Commissioner has fined £120,000 ($160,000) to the University of Greenwich for a safety breach that affected personal information of 19,500 students.
The compromised information included names, addresses, dates of birth, call numbers, signatures as well as - inward approximately cases - physical as well as mental wellness problems.
The information was uploaded onto an unsecured microsite for facilitating a preparation conference inward 2004.
The Information Commissioner said that Greenwich University was the offset academy to endure fined nether the Data Protection Act of 1998.
"Whilst the microsite was developed inward i of the University's departments without its knowledge, every bit a information controller it is responsible for the safety of information throughout the institution," said Steve Eckersley, caput of enforcement at the ICO.
"Students as well as members of staff had a correct to await that their personal information would endure held securely as well as this serious breach would direct keep caused meaning distress.
"The nature of the information as well as the release of people affected direct keep informed our determination to impose this marking of fine."
The academy said that they would non appeal against the decision.
"We admit the ICO's findings as well as apologise in i trial to a greater extent than to all those who may direct keep been affected," said University Secretary Peter Garrod.
"No arrangement tin give the sack state it volition endure immune to unauthorised access inward the future, simply nosotros tin give the sack state amongst confidence to our students, staff, alumni as well as other stakeholders, that our systems are far to a greater extent than robust than they were ii years agone every bit a effect of the changes nosotros direct keep made.
"We accept these matters extremely seriously as well as give-up the ghost on our procedures nether constant review to ensure they reverberate best practice."
