Watch Desk posted an update
A spreadsheet containing sensitive health information about 7,715 Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust staff and 288 other workers remained publicly available until November 2025, the BBC reports. The trust board has now heard that an independent investigation found weaknesses in data preparation, review and sign-off, including inadequate checks for hidden spreadsheet data.
Why it mattersThe trust says it has strengthened controls, and the Information Commissioner’s Office has closed its case after recommendations were implemented. The breach shows how a mundane spreadsheet can become a serious data leak when publication checks miss what is hidden in the file.
Discuss: Should organisations be required to convert spreadsheets to safer formats before publication, or is better review and staff training the more useful safeguard?
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