http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,5-2002027249,00.html THURSDAY JANUARY 17 2002 BY CLIVE MATHIESON CAPITA GROUP, the FTSE 100 IT services company, moved quickly yesterday to dismiss suggestions that a security breach within its computer systems had prompted the Government to shut down a £260 million training programme abruptly. Capita said that it was unaware of any security breach of the Individual Learning Accounts (ILA) computer system, run by the company, which allowed members of the public to sign up for government-subsidised courses. Analysts gave warning, however, that allegations the system had been used to access confidential information could damage Capita's standing with the Government, the source of about 18 per cent of group turnover. Shares in Capita fell 21p to 434p yesterday. West Midlands Police and the National Audit Office are both conducting inquiries into the alleged breach of the ILA system, which is being wound down amid evidence of abuse and fraud. Capita said yesterday there was no evidence that its system had been hacked from outside but that legitimate users, members of the 8,000-strong community of course providers, had accessed the system. A limited number of these users may have abused their authorised access and acted in an inappropriate manner, the company said. Such behaviour could be viewed as a breach of trust but not a breach of the system. One IT analyst said last night it was “too early to tell” whether the problems with the scheme would affect Capita’s long-term relationship with the Department for Education and Skills, which oversees the ILA scheme, and the rest of the Government. Last year Capita signed a £500 million contract, its biggest ever, to manage TV licensing for the BBC for the next ten years. The group has also been named preferred bidder for a £230 million contract to run the proposed road-charging scheme in London. - ISN is currently hosted by Attrition.org To unsubscribe email majordomoat_private with 'unsubscribe isn' in the BODY of the mail.
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