The UK Treasury reset over 100 government-issued mobile phones in 2020 after users, including the permanent secretary Tom Scholar, repeatedly entered incorrect PINs. This resulted in the complete loss of data on these devices, including text messages.
The data loss is particularly concerning as it includes messages between Scholar and former Prime Minister David Cameron regarding lobbying efforts by Cameron for Greensill Capital. MPs have expressed a public interest in accessing these communications, but Scholar cited the data wipe as a reason for their unavailability.
The Treasury's security protocol automatically resets the phone and wipes its data after multiple incorrect PIN attempts. While the exact frequency of required PIN changes was not disclosed due to security concerns, this incident highlights potential vulnerabilities in government data security.
This incident, alongside increasing pressure on government transparency, has led to legal action from the Good Law Project, challenging the use of private email and WhatsApp for official government business. The Project argues this practice is unlawful, undermining freedom of information requests and the duty of candour.