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Even the Law Recognizes the Power of Hard Drive Encryption
2008-02-08 01:48:00
I read an interesting article on a CNET blog today about new legislation regarding data breach notifications up for consideration by the Indiana State Senate.    The proposed bill requires that all data breach notifications involving Indiana residents need to go through the attorney general’s office.  That’s fairly standard practice, but that isn’t what makes this bill interesting. Tech industry giants including Microsoft, AT&T, and Verizon are frantically engaged in an effort to kill pro-consumer provisions in a data breach notification bill currently being considered by the Indiana State Senate. The bill would make Indiana the only state in the country to require the attorney general to post a copy of each report to its Web site--so that consumers, members of the press, and academics would have a single place to go to in order to find out about data breaches. At a State Senate committee meeting this morning, lobbyist after lobbyist criticized the prov...
More About: Power , Encryption , Drive , Hard , Hard Drive

Think Like a Thief and You’d Do a Better Job Protecting Your Data
2008-02-07 02:36:00
Data theft is the number one motive for intentional data breaches. It is a lucrative business for organized crime and sometimes it is a crime of opportunity for insiders with access to valuable information. In either case, the motivation is the same: personal financial gain. What criminals would find lucrative for their business within your enterprise is not necessarily the information you would normally associate with your enterprise's main line of business. However, that does not mean that your business would not sustain serious damage as a result. A company such as TJX never thought of itself as being in the customer data business, yet now it infortunately is famous for losing its customers' private data. That TJX is in the retail business is completely irrelevant – it could have been a bank, a media company or a utilities provider. Unfortunately, what TJX is now best known for is not retail but having had the largest data breach in history. Valuable data is usable dat...
More About: Data , Thief

No Disk Encryption: Personal Data Potentially Compromised for 4,000
2008-02-05 01:30:00
Marine Corps Bases Japan officials are investigating the Jan. 11 theft of a laptop computer, which contained personally identifiable information for as many as 4,000 clients of Marine Corps Community Services' New Parent Support Program. According to Marine Corps officials, the laptop may contain names, ranks, social security numbers, dates of birth, children's names and mailing addresses of U.S. military service members, U.S. government employees and Status of Forces Agreement personnel on Okinawa and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. It does not include driver's license numbers or bank and credit card information. "The Marine Corps takes very seriously its responsibility to safeguard the personal information of its service members, their families and government employees," said 1st Lt. Garron Garn, a Marine Corps Bases Japan spokesman. "Our information systems are password protected and our users are educated on ways to protect personally identifiable ...
More About: Personal , Encryption , Disk , Data

Nonprofits Need Hard Disk Encryption Too: Thieves Remove Personal Informati
2008-02-05 00:41:00
Thieves who broke into the Diocese of Providence stole a computer that contained a major amount of personal data on diocese employees. Diocese spokesman Michael Guilfoyle said the theft occurred last weekend between Friday night and Saturday morning. He said four computers were taken, and one had personal information on about 5,000 current and former Catholic school employees. The theft possibly exposed names, addresses and Social Security numbers. Guilfoyle said officials believe the thieves broke through a window, and then used a bench to break down a steel door. All diocese computers are password protected. The diocese is urging current and former employees who might have been affected to put a fraud alert on their credit reports. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the computers are password protected.  People should really stop saying that their stolen PC was password protected.  If somebody wants to get access to the data on an unencrypted device, the password is far from being the ?p...
More About: Personal , Encryption , Disk , Hard , Hard Disk

Hard Drive Encryption Is Needed for All PC's: There Is Worldwide Demand fo
2008-02-04 23:06:00
Lost laptops and missing disks could mean legal trouble, as the media spotlight on data breaches gives weight to calls for tougher legislation - but is encouraging best practice a wiser move? Another day, another miserable data fiasco - it seems there's no end in sight for missing laptops and lost disks. It's one thing after another: Marks and Spencer told off by the information commissioner's office (ICO), missing disks from the Ministry of Justice and HM Revenue and Customs, and laptops lost by the Ministry of Defense are just the latest in a line of breaches which affect millions in the UK. It's clear more will happen, but what can the government do to force industry (and itself) to take the right measures to make sure such debacles don't happen again? There are, of course, technology and policies. Indeed, Whitehall staff were recently banned from removing unencrypted laptops containing data from their offices, but as HMRC's acting chairman Dave Hartnett...
More About: Encryption , Drive , Hard , Worldwide , Hard Drive

Huckabee Lawsuit Over Most Efficient Disk Drive Security Ever Perfected Dis
2008-02-02 05:21:00
A judge has dismissed a lawsuit that was brought against Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee .  More specifically, the lawsuit was on whether the former governor of Arkansas illegally used government funds for destroying the computer hard drives.  Regardless of what your political affiliation happens to be, I would imagine that, short of having a vendetta against the man, it was quite obvious that the lawsuit wouldn?t take.  Like Huckabee explained, the disks contained the Social Security numbers and credit card information of employees and constituents of Arkansas.  There are two ways of ensuring that information does not fall into the wrong hands once the information has served its purpose.  The first method, and the most direct and efficient way, happens to be the physical destruction of the hard drives.  Usually, shredding the hard drive (there are machines for that) or applying a blowtorch does the job remarkably well.  This is the ...
More About: Lawsuit , Drive , Disk

Unencrypted Flash Drive Causes Data Breach At Fertility Clinic
2008-02-01 04:55:00
The University of Minnesota?s Reproductive Medicine Center has announced that a doctor lost information on 3,100 patients.  The information was contained in a USB flash drive that was used as a backup to a computer.  Contrary to the University of Minnesota regulations, this particular flash drive was not encrypted.   More specifically, the lost USB drive includes the details of infertility treatments for the patients, some of the records going as far back as 1999.  No financial information or Social Security numbers were included.  As things stand right now, anybody who finds the drive can access the information just by plugging it in to a computer.  The doctor involved in the matter is mortified, appropriately so, and sending letters of apology to the affected patients.  Naturally, instances such as this bring HIPPA regulation breaches to one?s mind.  I will not make any extensive commentary except to say that this obviously is in violation ...
More About: Flash , Flash Drive , Drive , Data , Breach

T. Rowe Price Contractor Loses Laptops ? Whole Disk Encryption Not Present
2008-02-01 04:18:00
Well, the rich certainly have it better than the hoi polloi, even when their identity might be misused.  T. Rowe Price has alerted that thieves were able to make off with two laptops containing the personal information of 401(K) participants.  The laptops were stolen from the offices of a contractor, CBIZ Benefits and Insurance, and 35,000 people might be affected by this particular data breach.  CBIZ prepares tax forms for T. Rowe, and hence the presence of sensitive data such as names and Social Security Numbers.  The two laptops were stolen on Christmas Eve.  Quite a sizable time lag there between the theft and public announcement.  If any of these clients lived in California, T. Rowe would be in breach of California?s laws requiring companies to immediately divulge the data breach.  T. Rowe has stated that laptop encryption and other forms of data protection were not specified when they signed up the contractor, and do not hold CBIZ liable f...
More About: Laptops , Encryption , Disk

UK Hospital Struck Twice With Computer Theft. Data Encryption Not Present
2008-01-31 02:28:00
The Royal Bolton Hospital in England has fallen victim to computer theft?twice.  In each instance, medical information was on the stolen devices.  The thefts took place in October and November, but the public is being alerted only now.  I guess someone is thanking an all-powerful being that the UK does not have HIPAA legislation to follow.  Although, that Data Protection Act they have is nothing to sneeze at.  I used to have a beef with PR people stating that a stolen computer had ?password protection but was not encrypted? trying to reassure the public about the safety of their data.  Of course, the general populace started getting wise to the fact that it meant absolutely nothing security?wise, so it seems to have been dropped in favor of other stuff.  Such as this one: There is no evidence at all that whoever took the computers took them for the data.  The thieves probably targeted the computer because of its monetary value and portability...
More About: Encryption , Computer , Present

UK Department Store Marks & Spencer Ordered To Encrypt All Laptops
2008-01-26 07:39:00
Marks & Spencer was ordered by the Information Commissioner?s Office to encrypt all of their laptops.  This is the conclusion to the theft that occurred last May of a laptop that contained the personal information on 26,000 Marks & Spencer employees.  The laptop was stolen from a printing firm working for M&S.  It contained details on the employee pension arrangements, as well as salary details, addresses, dates of birth, national insurance numbers, and phone numbers.  At the time M&S had revealed that the laptop was password-protected.  However, as detailed in many previous posts, this cannot be considered protection at any level.  Apparently, the ICO agrees.  Otherwise they wouldn?t have instructed the retailer to encrypt all of their laptops by April of this year.  More specifically, the ICO is ordering M&S to encrypt all hard drives?apparently, including those within laptops.  Not complying with the order could r...
More About: Laptops , Department , Store , Marks

Oops! Worcester Stolen Laptop Incorrectly Identified As Having Data Encrypt
2008-01-25 04:45:00
A stolen laptop was reported by Fallon Community Health Plan earlier this month as being encrypted.  Now, Fallon is reversing itself and saying that the laptop was not encrypted, based on the conclusions of a forensic technologist.   This means that over 30,000 members of Fallon Community Health Plan could be affected.  While financial information was not present in the laptop, other information such as Medicare IDs were present, as well as dates of birth, names, etc.  Now, I?m not sure if this is true, but apparently Medicare Identification numbers are composed of people?s (or their spouses?) SSNs.  I guess I?ll find out once I become eligible.  At any rate, if the above is true, obviously the data loss could have a significant impact?and Fallon has offered free credit monitoring services for the next 12 months to those affected.  The direct victim of the theft was a contractor for Fallon that was handling medical claims.  Fallon has decline...
More About: Laptop , Data , Stolen , Worcester , Rect

UK Lawyer?s Office Is Burglarized: Laptop Security A Concern
2008-01-24 08:07:00
A barrister (that?s a lawyer for Americans) in London came to his office to find a laptop computer stolen.  The computer contained the details of an inquiry into the murder of Billy Wright.  For those who are not aware, Billy Wright is the founder of the Loyalist Volunteer Force, a paramilitary group he started after her being kicked off the Ulster Volunteer Force for being a tad overzealous?and breaking the cease?fire during the negotiations for the Belfast Agreement.  The Belfast agreement was supposed to usher in an era of peace and tranquility in Northern Ireland; parties involved were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998.  However, the violence, while subsided, still continues a decade later.  Indeed, the Loyalist Volunteer Force still exists, although it seems to be in a diminished capacity.  The vendettas, however, are still very real.  For example, just last week the Lurgan Mail had reported the firing of staff at a hospital for bre...
More About: Security , Office , Lawyer , Laptop

Hospital Laptop Security: The Potential Consequences or How Patient Informa
2008-01-23 08:01:00
The Star-Ledger has an article detailing how hospital data was used to enable identity theft.  It turns out that there were no computers involved in this particular instance, but it shows the potential ramifications of losing an unencrypted data device, such as a laptop, from hospital settings?highlighting why laptop encryption services like AlertBoot is necessary.   Samuel Jacobs, who worked at the Passaic County Hospital , supplied John Polo with names and Social Security numbers by photocopying information from hospital records.  In this day and age it might seem a little archaic, but data is data no matter what form it takes.  Polo used this information to open various E*TRADE brokerage accounts, and abused certain conditions set by E*TRADE to effectively steal money from E*TRADE.  Polo was able to withdraw more than $20,000 before he was stopped.  Now, part of the information that was handed over to Polo did include credit card information.  H...
More About: Laptop , Informa , Consequences

Virtualization As A Replacement For Laptop Security?
2008-01-22 07:28:00
I was reading an AP article today on Microsoft acquiring a small virtualization company, when a line jumped out at me.  The writer of the article stated that virtualization ?would make losing a laptop much less disastrous.?  Now, this statement is not wrong.  But you?d need to put some perspective on it to be truly informative.  After all, the statement ?drinking pure, crystalline, refreshing water can kill you? is not wrong?as long as I define some conditions.  I?ll explain later.  For the time being, let?s explore what the writer for the Associated Press forgot to include.  Why is losing a laptop disastrous?  Well, I tend to clump them into some basic reasons:   1.      Something of value has been stolen and will probably have to be replaced, so there is the question of moolah. 2.      A lot of your data could be permanently lost?presentations you were working on, reports,...
More About: Security , Laptop , Virtualization

UK Military Loses Laptop With Personal Data On 600,000. I Suspect Laptop E
2008-01-19 07:46:00
I suspect it because 3,500 people are being contacted via mail that their information has been compromised.  But the number of people potentially affected by this theft was over 600,000 UK citizens.  What differentiates the 3,500 from the rest is that their bank account information was also listed.   As of this writing, these are the details: the laptop was stolen from a parked car belonging to a junior officer in the Royal Navy.  The information on the laptop included details on active personnel in the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, and the Royal Air Force.  Plus, anyone who expressed interest in joining the above military branches, or who submitted an application, are affected as well?although not to the degree of those already serving.   People who expressed an interest would have their names and addresses listed, whereas information relating to active personnel may include, other than the banking information, passport details, national insurance num...
More About: Personal , Military , Laptop , Data , Suspect

Loss of Flash Drive With Medical Information Kept Secret In The UK
2008-01-19 07:29:00
The Manchester Evening News is reporting that four thousand NHS patients in the UK have fallen victim to a possible data breach; however, they don?t know this.  At least, not yet.  A flash drive, also known as a computer memory stick, was lost by an NHS employee who had the data device around her neck.  Upon arriving at the hospital she noticed that the flash drive was missing.  The date on the flash drive included the names, dates of birth, and medical details on patients.  It sounds like no financial data was not available.  The information was being transported on the flash drive as a security measure.  Originally, the information was to be e-mailed.  However, someone deemed it as a less secure form of sending data, and physically transporting the information from one venue to another was decided upon as being better.  Based on this decision, someone was selected to physically transport the data to increase data safety.  The iro...
More About: Information , Medical , Flash , Flash Drive , Drive

Hospitals To Be Checked For HIPAA Compliance
2008-01-18 06:44:00
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will soon begin on?site reviews to see whether hospitals are in compliance with HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.  Approximately 10 to 20 hospitals will be visited, and the results published.  The names of the hospitals visited will not be revealed, however, regardless of the results.  It sounds like this is a test run to see what lessons can be learned.   The reviews will initially concentrate on hospitals where complaints were received regarding security practices, and will expand nationwide.  According to the article I?m reading, accessing data remotely and the use of portable storage devices are issues to be studied as well as others.  It seems to me that it?s high time that such reviews be conducted.  So far, the CMS has been focused on educating hospitals and promoting compliance with HIPAA.  That?s eleven years of data security evangelism.  That?s a...
More About: Hospitals , Compliance

Barclays Bank Scam Goes All The Way To The Top
2008-01-11 04:54:00
But this time, it?s not an over?the?top TV show host.  Nor is the amount paltry.  The victim in this case is none other than the chairman of Barclays , Marcus Agius.  (With a name like that, he could be the love child of Cleopatra and Marc Anthony.  I did a search on Google images, to see if I could crack a joke and say, ?and he looks old enough to be one!?  Surprise: he looks like he belongs on the cover of a Brooks Brothers catalog.)   As the chairman of Barclays, Mr. Agius didn?t go around defying people to break into his bank account.  Nope, the criminal in this case seems to have targeted him on  purpose, (criminals have been known to concentrate phishing scams on the wealthy?because that?s where the money is), and was able to receive a credit card bearing Agius?s name by tricking a Barclays employee at a call center.  Protocols are in place to make sure that such things don?t happen, of course, but sometimes these break down.  F...
More About: Bank , Barclays Bank , Scam

Colombian Crisscrosses US To Steal Information From Hotel Computers With No
2008-01-10 04:49:00
A Colombian man, Mario Alberto Simbaqueba Bonilla, has been arrested in Miami for stealing information from computers in hotel business centers.  He stole credit card numbers and other personal information to the tune of more than $400,000, and now faces 10 years in prison.  The scam was perpetrated in the following manner: between 2004 and 2007, the man traveled across United States, checking in at various hotels.  Once checked in, he would make use of the business center and install keystroke loggers on the computers found at the overpriced cubicles.  Legitimate users would come in, use the computers, and become victims.  Simbaqueba was able to access the keystroke logging software in the business centers from a remote computer, and download credit card numbers, personal information, and other data.  Apparently, he downloaded the information from his native Colombia.  In order to fool the credit card agencies when making purchases, he went...
More About: Information , Computers , Hotel , Steal

GE Money Alerting Clients About A Data Security Breach. These Guys Act Lik
2008-01-09 03:27:00
Through no fault of its own (at least, that I can tell of), GE Money has lost a backup tape that was left in storage with Iron Mountain.  One tape, out of a set of nine, is missing from a secure facility at Iron Mountain?s premises, and a search has turned up empty.  Records show that all nine tapes were present when first put into storage.  GE Money has filed a notification with the state of New Hampshire, letting the AG?s office know that 1,851 active NH residents? accounts were affected by the incident.  Approximately 20 residents had Social Security numbers included as part of the data.  How was the data protected?  Well, so far, it looks like it was by locking the tapes up; the filing with the AG?s office doesn?t discuss what type of security was in place.  Data encryption by AlertBoot would have helped mitigate fears of a data breach on such an unexpected incident.  And, although it sounds like Iron Mountain?s flub, GE is ultimately le...
More About: Data Security , Clients

Data Security No Laughing Matter For UK Top Gear Host
2008-01-08 04:17:00
The BBC is reporting that one of their own, Top Gear ?s host Jeremy Clarkson, has fallen victim to a phishing scam.  A scam that benefitted Diabetes UK, a charitable organization, by five hundred pounds (money, not weight).  The person to blame?  Mr. Clarkson.  I?ve never seen his TV show (I rarely flip through BBC America, although I?ll watch it from time to time), but apparently he?s very opinionated if what I'm reading on Wikipedia is true (and well worth a read for his quotes, assuming you're not easily offended).  He decided to extend his cocksure attitude to the HMRC data fiasco.  In a newspaper column, he published his account number and sort code for his account at Barclays, a financial services provider, in order to prove that people couldn?t fall victim because of two missing CDs.  If you will recall, a data breach was caused when two CDs sent out by Her Majesty?s Revenue and Custom services was lost by the courier.  Clarkso...
More About: Security , Data Security , Data , Matter

Laptop Sales To Overcome Desktop Sales In 2008: What About Laptop Security?
2008-01-06 00:30:00
The LA Times is reporting that laptop sales may overcome (in fact, based on the figures, it looks like this is a no?brainer) desktop sales in 2008.  In 2007, 31.6 million laptops were sold in the US while desktop sales decreased to 35 million.   The overall size and weight of portable computers has constantly come down over the years (although there is something of a countertrend to this, especially with the release of widescreen laptops).  The processing power and storage has steadily increased over the same period (duh); of course, they cannot match those offered by desktops, but it got good enough for most people, at work as well as at home.  And, probably most important, the price on portable computers has come down substantially.  Combine affordable prices and ?good enough-ness? and you?ve got a winning combo.  In a lot of ways, what the LA Times is reporting is not surprising; indeed, what is surprising to me is that it took so long.  I still...
More About: Security , Desktop , Laptop , Sales , Overcome

Over 10,000 Air Force Band Members Affected By Data Security Breach Due To
2008-01-04 08:00:00
It was reported over the Christmas holidays that over 10,000 Air Force band members might be affected by the loss of a military laptop computer.  The missing laptop contained information of Air Force band members including Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and telephone numbers.  Both active and retired members could be affected.  There is no mention of whether the computer was protected via hard disk encryption, but the lack of such details in the announcement speaks volumes.  According to the Air Force, the information on the stolen laptop was to be used for historical documentation of the band.  Or rather, bands, since the Air Force band is actually composed of multiple groups.  It would make sense that the Air Force, operating in multiple regions, has multiple bands.  And when you consider that we?re taking about old and new members, 10,000 is not an unusual number.  Some bloggers following this story are incredulous that ...
More About: Band , Data Security , Data

Could Application Control And White Lists Be A Rising Star For Data Securit
2008-01-04 06:57:00
A couple of months back, antivirus companies such as Symantec proposed the use of white lists and black lists to control the ever-growing problem of malware infestation.  There was something for ruckus at the time because this particular solution has many problems.  Control ling which applications can and cannot run via the use of authorization lists means unauthorized malware wouldn?t be able to infect your computers.   At the same time, the maintenance of lists means that legitimate software might end up on the blacklist or not on the white list, either of which leads to that software being denied when it shouldn?t be.  When you consider that there are lots of freeware, shareware, software specific to college textbooks, etc.; old and new versions; discontinued software that somebody somewhere is still using?there is a very good chance that the use of application control lists could lead to headaches, both for the endusers as well as list maintainers who have to ...
More About: Data , White , Lists , Star

Update On Tennessee Experiences A Blue, Blue, Blue Christmas: Computer Thef
2008-01-02 05:17:00
?People are just beside themselves. They are just livid about this.?  That?s the quote by Councilman Michael Craddock, chairman of the Metro Council's Public Safety Committee in Nashville.  Craddock and mayor Karl Dean are having a little post?holiday get together with officers to find details on the break?in and on the security of the premises as well as on the stolen laptops.  I?m guessing it?s not going to be as friendly as I make it sound.  Furthermore, three Metro department officials are also being summoned for questions by city council.  Summoned.  That?s a word you pray not to hear in your life, unless you?re Harry Potter and have to make a dragon appear in a flash.  Some more details are showing up that are conflicting with original reports, which in themselves were conflicting as well.  It seems that the spokesperson last year (or, if you prefer, about three days ago--Happy New Year! everybody!), was a little too eager in insin...
More About: Christmas , Tennessee , Computer , Blue , Update

Tennessee Experiences A Blue, Blue, Blue Christmas: Computer Theft Reported
2007-12-29 06:26:00
Tennessee is alerting Nashville residents that 337,000 voters in the city have had their information compromised.  Thieves stole laptop computers that contained the names and Social Security numbers of every registered voter.  Initially, it was reported that only the last four digits of the SSNs were included, but further examination showed that this is not the case.  The election commission office is preparing to send notices to those affected.  There’s no mention on whether the stolen laptops had any security measures in place, so one must assume the worst.  Also, the Department of Safety is reporting that a desktop computer and laptops were stolen from their offices.  A spokesman for the department said that the computers were blank because they were about to be distributed to employees, and there shouldn’t have been any personal information on the stolen devices:  “Even if they did get access to it, they’re almost worthless to them,â€...
More About: Christmas , Tennessee , Computer , Blue , Experiences

Data Protection Is The Law In Oregon At The Turn Of The Year: Data Encrypti
2007-12-28 05:48:00
The associated Oregon senate bill, The Oregon Identity Theft Protection Act (SB 583), is surprisingly short but to the point?and extremely readable.  It feels like someone other than lawyers wrote it up.  It also seems to build on past legislation already in place for personal data protection.  For example, those who are already in compliance with HIPAA would also be in compliance with SB 583.  The former may carry a tag of ?96 (as in, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996), but eleven years later, the concept on how to protect someone?s information hasn?t changed; it?s the implementation that had to catch up.  And catch up it did.  There are numerous regulations in HIPAA for protecting patient information, including what people have termed ?shoulder surfing,? the act of getting information by looking over someone?s shoulder.  Back in 1996, there was no method to prevent that unless you had a wall against your back.  An...
More About: Data , Turn , Year , Data Protection

Data Security And Computer Disposal: There's Delete And Then There's Delet
2007-12-27 06:36:00
The holidays are almost over, and many people across the world have probably bought?for themselves as well as for other people?plenty of nifty gadgets as presents, such as a computer.  And, when it?s in with the new, it?s also out with the old.  Extra care must be taken to ensure that the data in the computer being thrown out doesn?t fall into the wrong hands.  For example, the Sun in England has a little story about an engineer who was looking for computer parts at a recycling center (you, as a concerned earthling, are recycling those machines, right?)  He happened on a computer disk which, when loaded, showed the names, ranks, addresses, phone numbers, and job qualifications for thousands of police officers.  Plus, there were details for ?civilians working for the police.?  It could?ve easily been a bad day for rats and weasels.  Thankfully, the engineer alerted the newspaper as opposed to the local Don.  What could have the cops done to e...
More About: Security , Data Security , Computer , Data , Delete

Burglarized Church: Computer Theft Targeted Hard Drives Only
2007-12-26 06:54:00
There is news that a church in the state of Georgia fell victim to burglary.  The thieves, however, seem to have been after a particular item: data.  The effort was well coordinated, according to an article at thecitizen.com.  The thieves entered the church from the darkest point outside the church.  A window was left unlocked prior to the theft, so there was no forcing into the building.  Once inside, the thieves went straight to the church office.  The doors were knocked in?and in one case a sledge hammer was used to knock a hole in the wall, and unlock another door from the inside, as it were.  This case is particularly interesting because the article implies that the thieves spent the time to take out the hard drives from two computers and stealing those, instead of stealing the entire machine.  Also, they stole a computer monitor as well, which, frankly, doesn?t make sense to me.  If one decides to steal only the hard drive, presum...
More About: Church , Computer , Hard , Hard drives , Theft

UPS Loses Dormitory Authority Data Tapes With 800 Employee Records. Data E
2007-12-22 07:21:00
But, according to the Dormitory Authority , potentially affected employees shouldn?t be worried because they require special equipment and software to be read.  Also, the spokesperson for the Dormitory Authority (DA) said the tapes were not encrypted.   Social Security numbers, addresses, names, and phone numbers were included in the tape for current and past employees.  The tapes are backups sent from the DA to a separate location for safekeeping purposes.  I find that one of the more frustrating aspects of recent press releases when it comes to data breaches is that people equate ?I don?t use it personally? with ?special equipment.?  I guess it depends on what your definition of special happens to be, but just because you don?t have the equipment at home doesn?t mean that a cassette-like cartridge is ?special.?  Depending on what type of data cartridge was used, there are people who possibly have the right equipment at home.  For example, a simpl...
More About: Data , Employee , Records , Tapes