To: ‘Kevin Lenihan'[kevin.lenihar.
Ce: Lesley J Sewell[lesley,j.
Andrew[andrew.parsons\
From: Newsome Pete[/o=Exchange/ol
Sent: Tue 4/7/2015 3:25:17 PM (UTC)
Subject: I RE: URGENT ACTION : Second Sight assertions about editing data. URGENT
Kevin
I have started to pull together information so will hope to have something back tomorrow.
Pete
Pete Newsome
Business Change Manager
Post Office Account, Fujitsu UK&l
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Web: http://uk.fujitsu.ctorn
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Fujitsu is proud to partner with Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity
Bie] Please consider the environment - do you really need to print this email?
From: Kevin Lenihan [mailto:kevin.lenihan:
Sent: 07 April 2015 16:03
To: Mark Underwood1; Newsome Pete
Cc: Lesley J Sewell; Patrick Bourke; Parsons, Andrew; Melanie Corfield
Subject: URGENT ACTION : Second Sight assertions about editing data. URGENT
Cc~ FYI
Mark,
; Patrick Bourke[patrick.b
Melanie Corfield[melanie.corfieldé,,
dminGroup1/cn=Recipients/cn=Blagg-NewsomeP]
FUJ00081950
FUJ00081950
I was on a conference call with Pete at the time of your call but have subsequently spoken to him briefly about the below. I believe
that James has now moved on though.
Pete — the note below and urgent response deadline from Mark refers.
Thanks,
Kevin
Kevin Lenihan I Senior Information Services Manager
EC1V 9HQ
kevin lenihan
J
From: Mark Underwood1
Sent: 07 April 2015 14:25
To: Kevin Lenihan; Davidson James; Newsome Pete
Cc: Lesley J Sewell; Patrick Bourke; Parsons, Andrew; Melanie Corfield
Subject: Second Sight assertions about editing data. URGENT.
Hi Kevin, James & Peter.
Can you respond to the questions asked in line with
requested timeline please ? If there are problems fulfilling that request please advise.
FUJ00081950
FUJ00081950
I tried to each of you a call but went through to voicemail. The below has come through from SS just now for which we need to reply
with 24 hours.
Back in 2010, a bug was identified in Horizon which caused a receipts and payments mismatch issue (also known as the 76 Bug).
Second Sight has been provided with POL / FJ documents about this issue and they have now highlighted a couple of paragraphs in
those documents that indicate Post Office can alter branch data. Second Sight are not interested in the bug itself but rather the
method by which Post Office could have edited branch data to resolve the bug.
An extract from a draft Second Sight report (where they make their allegations) and the two POL / FJ documents referred to therein
are attached. The key extracts from the POL / FJ documents are below:
CORRECTING ACCOUNTS FOR "LOST" DISCREPANCIES
“7. Fixing the Data for each Affected Branch
The data can be corrected by adjusting the appropriate Opening Figures and BTS Data that relates to the current TP. This will result
in the Discrepancy needing to be processed when rolling over into the next TP."
RECEIPTS/PAYMENTS MISMATCH ISSUE NOTES
"SOLUTION ONE- Alter the Horizon Branch figure at the counter to show the discrepancy. Fujitsu would have to manually write an
entry value to the local branch account.
IMPACT - When the branch comes to complete next Trading Period they would have a discrepancy, which they would have to bring
to account.
RISK- This has significant data integrity concerns and could lead to questions of "tampering" with the branch system and could
generate questions around how the discrepancy was caused. This solution could have moral implications of Post Office’
changing branch data without informing the branch."
Please could FJ explain what is meant by "The data can be corrected by adjusting the appropriate Opening Figures and BTS Data
that relates to the current TP" and "Alter the Horizon Branch figure at the counter to show the discrepancy".
Please can you also explain:
. How these alterations would be made?
. Would they leave a detectable footprint?
. The effect they would have on data integrity?
. Whether the alterations would be visible to branches?
. What course of action was taken in relation to the 76 Bug?
1.
2
3.
4
5.
Mark Underwood
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