Job seekers using internet employment sites have been warned that their personal information has been compromised. The Guardian newspaper's Job site has contacted users posting their details about a breach. The information stolen would be sufficient for a criminal to fraudulently open bank accounts and apply for credit cards. This is not the first time job sites have been hacked with 1.3 million records stolen in this episode.
One of the key functions of job sites is to act as a trusted intermediary between those with jobs and those without – acting like a matchmaker. Discretion and confidentiality are taken for granted. Perhaps it is time for websites to make it clear to users that the site provides no guaranteed care of the sensitive information users are asked to entrust.
In the current job climate, it is careless for organizations to put any data at risk, let alone that of their customers’ future employees.
