DataBreaches.Net

Menu
  • About
  • Breach Notification Laws
  • Privacy Policy
  • Transparency Report
Menu

NC: Researcher Yankaskas appeals pay cut, demotion

Posted on October 10, 2010 by Dissent

More details are emerging about why the breach involving the UNC-Chapel Hill Carolina Mammography Registry led to consequences for the researcher.

C. Ryan Barber reports:

[…]

School of Medicine Office of Information Systems officials first alerted the University to the breach in July 2009 after uncovering a virus and potential security breach on the Carolina Mammography Registry’s FTP server.

As the registry’s principal investigator, Yankaskas has been blamed for the breach, which also compromised about 114,000 Social Security numbers. She has since claimed that the University is using her as a scapegoat for systemic data security weaknesses.

On Oct. 27, Yankaskas received an intention to discharge letter from Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Bruce Carney, who said Yankaskas exhibited “deliberate neglect” in her oversight of the project’s data security.

“I was appalled,” said Carney, who held his current position on an interim basis in July 2009. “The first question you have to ask is, ‘How does this happen?’”

In the intention to discharge notice, Carney wrote that Yankaskas was negligent in assigning security duties without granting additional training to Melinda Boyd, whom he deemed to be underqualified. Carney later became aware that his wife’s Social Security number was exposed and said his personal connection to the breach has not clouded his judgment.

“At the time, Ms. Boyd had no certification or experience as a server administrator,” Carney wrote. “She has stated that she requested that you provide additional training for her in server administration but that you declined to do so.”

[…]

Read more on Daily Tar Heel.

Category: Breach IncidentsEducation SectorHealth DataMalwareU.S.

Post navigation

← Ca: Veteran says privacy breaches left him suicidal
AU: The public prosecution of private decisions →

Now more than ever

"Stand with Ukraine:" above raised hands. The illustration is in blue and yellow, the colors of Ukraine's flag.

Search

Browse by Categories

Recent Posts

  • Industry Letter – June 23, 2025: Impact to Financial Sector of Ongoing Global Conflicts
  • MNGI Digestive Health settles class action lawsuit stemming from BlackCat attack
  • Four REvil ransomware members released after time served on carding charges
  • Why Dumping Sensitive Data on Network Shares is a Liability
  • A militarily degraded Iran may turn to asymmetrical warfare – raising risk of proxy and cyber attacks
  • Pro-Russian hackers disrupt Dutch government websites ahead of NATO summit
  • Iran-Linked Threat Actors Leak Visitors and Athletes’ Data from Saudi Games
  • UK: Oxford City Council still investigating cyberattack from earlier this month
  • Steelmaker Nucor Says Hackers Stole Data in Recent Attack
  • People’s Republic of China cyber threat activity: Cyber Threat Bulletin

No, You Can’t Buy a Post or an Interview

This site does not accept sponsored posts or link-back arrangements. Inquiries about either are ignored.

And despite what some trolls may try to claim: DataBreaches has never accepted even one dime to interview or report on anyone. Nor will DataBreaches ever pay anyone for data or to interview them.

Want to Get Our RSS Feed?

Grab it here:

https://databreaches.net/feed/

RSS Recent Posts on PogoWasRight.org

  • Sky Views Personal Data as a Potential Weapon in IPTV Piracy War
  • Florida Used a Nationwide Surveillance Camera Network 250 Times To Aid in Immigration Arrests
  • Federal Court Strikes Down HIPAA Reproductive Health Care Privacy Rule
  • The Markup caught 4 more states sharing personal health data with Big Tech
  • Privacy in the Big Sky State: Montana’s Consumer Privacy Law Gets Amended
  • UK Passes Data Use and Access Regulation Bill
  • Officials defend Liberal bill that would force hospitals, banks, hotels to hand over data

Have a News Tip?

Email: Tips[at]DataBreaches.net

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

Contact Me

Email: info[at]databreaches.net

Mastodon: Infosec.Exchange/@PogoWasRight

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

DMCA Concern: dmca[at]databreaches.net
© 2009 – 2025 DataBreaches.net and DataBreaches LLC. All rights reserved.