Security Breach Exposes ID Documents of Attendees at Abu Dhabi Investment Conference

Hundreds of ID documents, including those of former UK Prime Minister David Cameron and billionaire Alan Howard, were leaked online due to a security lapse at Abu Dhabi Finance Week. The unprotected server was secured after being notified by the Financial Times. Organizers are investigating the incident.

An alarming security lapse led to the online exposure of ID documents belonging to attendees of Abu Dhabi's major investment event, including well-known figures such as former British Prime Minister David Cameron and hedge fund mogul Alan Howard. The breach, reported by the Financial Times, revealed that over 700 passports and state identity cards were mistakenly made publicly accessible.

The documents became vulnerable due to an unprotected cloud storage server linked to the Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW), which saw participation from over 35,000 individuals in December. The breach not only impacted Cameron and Howard but also involved U.S. investor and former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, among others. Neither Cameron nor Scaramucci provided comments when approached.

The Abu Dhabi Global Market, responsible for organizing the event, took immediate action to secure the server after being notified of the leak, and an investigation is ongoing. The incident highlights serious concerns about data security practices at major events, with implications for attendees' privacy and confidence.

(With inputs from agencies.)