• News
    • Latest news
    • News search
    • Health
    • Finance
    • Food
    • Career news
    • Content series
    • Try Devex Pro
  • Jobs
    • Job search
    • Post a job
    • Employer search
    • CV Writing
    • Upcoming career events
    • Try Career Account
  • Funding
    • Funding search
    • Funding news
  • Talent
    • Candidate search
    • Devex Talent Solutions
  • Events
    • Upcoming and past events
    • Partner on an event
  • Post a job
  • About
      • About us
      • Membership
      • Newsletters
      • Advertising partnerships
      • Devex Talent Solutions
      • Contact us
Join DevexSign in
Join DevexSign in

News

  • Latest news
  • News search
  • Health
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Career news
  • Content series
  • Try Devex Pro

Jobs

  • Job search
  • Post a job
  • Employer search
  • CV Writing
  • Upcoming career events
  • Try Career Account

Funding

  • Funding search
  • Funding news

Talent

  • Candidate search
  • Devex Talent Solutions

Events

  • Upcoming and past events
  • Partner on an event
Post a job

About

  • About us
  • Membership
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising partnerships
  • Devex Talent Solutions
  • Contact us
  • My Devex
  • Update my profile % complete
  • Account & privacy settings
  • My saved jobs
  • Manage newsletters
  • Support
  • Sign out
Latest newsNews searchHealthFinanceFoodCareer newsContent seriesTry Devex Pro
    • Career

    UNESCO chief responds to 'hacking' into online application platform

    By Rolf Rosenkranz // 03 May 2011
    UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. Photo by: Ministerio da Cultura / CC BY

    In an age of increasing data theft, it was perhaps only a matter of time until a major development organization got put on high alert. That happend last week, when a German magazine raised questions about UNESCO’s online application platform.

    The German magazine reported that simply by modifying URLs, it had been possible until April 28 for anyone registered with the agency’s online platform to find application material submitted between 2006 and 2011 by hundreds of thousands of other applicants, including for full-time and internship positions. An internship applicant informed the U.N. agency of the privacy issue last month, but got no response, Der Spiegel reported. UNESCO did respond to the magazine on April 27 and took two databases offline, Der Spiegel continued.

    >> UNESCO Online Application Platform: Privacy Breach Discovered

    On Tuesday (May 3), UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova addressed these concerns in a conversation with reporters in Washington.

    Responding to a question by Devex, Bokova said: “On the intrusion, I can say that I regret it. It can happen in any system. We have seen hackers and people getting into such systems. We have immediately shut it and remedied. I would say that from my point of view, I deplore it that if somebody noticed that there is such a breach, instead of alerting us went and picked up some personal data, which I don’t think is correct.”

    The Bulgarian civil servant continued: “We’re currently analyzing and exploring and seeing what actually happened and what are the consequences of what happened. I hope there won’t be consequences for people. Definitely, we’re taking all the security measures, to do it with the best of our knowledge. But, systems are vulnerable - we’ve seen very many cases around the world, and I hope this will not have any consequences.”

    Bokova was visiting Washington to celebrate World Press Freedom Day.

      Printing articles to share with others is a breach of our terms and conditions and copyright policy. Please use the sharing options on the left side of the article. Devex Pro members may share up to 10 articles per month using the Pro share tool ( ).

      About the author

      • Rolf Rosenkranz

        Rolf RosenkranzRolfRosenkranz

        Rolf Rosenkranz has worked as a Global Editor for Devex. Previously, Rolf was managing editor at Inside Health Policy, a subscription-based news service in Washington. He has reported from Africa for the Johannesburg-based Star and its publisher, Independent News & Media, as well as the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, a German daily.

      Search for articles

      Related Stories

      Devex NewswireFfD4 special edition: Sevilla sizzles as development leaders define the decade

      FfD4 special edition: Sevilla sizzles as development leaders define the decade

      Development FinanceDefining a decade: What to expect from Financing for Development

      Defining a decade: What to expect from Financing for Development

      Devex CheckUpDevex CheckUp: WHO's financial crisis deepens

      Devex CheckUp: WHO's financial crisis deepens

      Devex Career HubDevex Career Hub: How to apply like a scientist for your next job

      Devex Career Hub: How to apply like a scientist for your next job

      Most Read

      • 1
        How low-emissions livestock are transforming dairy farming in Africa
      • 2
        Opinion: Mobile credit, savings, and insurance can drive financial health
      • 3
        Opinion: India’s bold leadership in turning the tide for TB
      • 4
        How AI-powered citizen science can be a catalyst for the SDGs
      • 5
        WHO names new directors in ongoing restructure
      • News
      • Jobs
      • Funding
      • Talent
      • Events

      Devex is the media platform for the global development community.

      A social enterprise, we connect and inform over 1.3 million development, health, humanitarian, and sustainability professionals through news, business intelligence, and funding & career opportunities so you can do more good for more people. We invite you to join us.

      • About us
      • Membership
      • Newsletters
      • Advertising partnerships
      • Devex Talent Solutions
      • Post a job
      • Careers at Devex
      • Contact us
      © Copyright 2000 - 2025 Devex|User Agreement|Privacy Statement