Privacy watchdog says traffic fines website is not secure

A new federal website for paying speeding fines is failing to protect drivers' personal data, Belgium's Privacy Commission has warned.

Since July, drivers who are caught speeding can visit www.trafficfines.be and enter a reference number to see details of their fine and pay.

But an investigation by driving magazine Verkeersspecialist found it was easy to alter a digit in the reference number and see details of other fines - including the driver's name, vehicle registration number and the amount to pay.

The justice ministry says it was alerted to the security flaw on 8 September and has made an urgent fix. The driver's name is no longer visible.

But it is still possible to see the details of other drivers' fines. Privacy Commission spokeswoman Caroline De Geest said: "As a public service, this site should be leading by example. This is a particularly sensitive matter, as it relates to judicial data."