Andium apologises after email breach

Friday 08 October 2021

Jersey’s main social housing provider has apologised to more than 250 islanders interested in buying an affordable first home after a data breach involving their email addresses.

The breach resulted from an email sent around 15:30 yesterday explaining that Andium was now in charge of Band 5 of the Affordable Housing Gateway and soon to be renamed the ‘Assisted Purchase Pathway’.

All 252 recipients were copied in, rather than using the Bcc function.

The message was recalled at 15:45, but all recipients were copied in once more.

Shortly after, Andium’s Head of Property and Assets wrote to apologise and ask that the email was deleted.

At 15:56, he added in another message: “Having taken some advice if you could confirm back to me that you have deleted the original email it would be greatly appreciated.”

Contacted for comment by Express, an Andium spokesperson said yesterday afternoon: “We can confirm that earlier today an email was sent from Andium Homes to a number of email addresses pertaining to individuals who had registered their interest in joining the Assisted Purchase Pathway list.”

Andium further assured that “no personal or financial data was shared other than for the email addresses.”

The spokesperson continued: “The error was spotted right away and immediate steps taken to recall unread emails and to have all the messages deleted by the recipients who have also received an apology.

“Andium Homes takes the protection of client data very seriously and are taking all of the appropriate action.”