Inland Revenue suspends website on security fears
- Added:
- May 31, 2002
The flagship e-government service, which allows users to file self-assessment forms online, has been suspended since the beginning of this week, after taxpayers accessing the site said that they could see confidential information on other users.
A spokesperson for the Inland Revenue said that it was investigating the problems with its technology supplier EDS, but wouldn't give a timescale for the service to be brought back up.
The service, one of the most prominent e-government launches so far, is currently being used as a test-bed for submission of sensitive user data and tax payments to the government via the web.
However, compared to the 9m users of the paper-based self-assessment system, its take up has been slower than expected, with only around 75,000 people signing up so far.
In the Finance Bill published earlier this month, the government included provisions to impose fines of up to £3,000 companies and individuals failing to file online by 2010.
"www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk ":http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk