The computer IDs and passwords of all the lawmakers in the House of Representatives were leaked during recent cyber-attacks against the lower house’s server and personal computers, it has been revealed. In a report released Monday, the lower house also said e-mails sent to its lawmakers might have been accessible to hackers for a maximum…
Month: November 2011
UK: Stolen backup drive results in undertaking for Phoenix Nursery School
Phoenix Nursery School in Wolverhampton ran afoul of the Data Protection Act when an unencrypted backup tape containing names and addresses of 70 pupils and their parents or guardians was stolen, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said today. The tape also contained a small amount of information relating to the health of several pupils. According…
UK: Laptop stolen from Scottish advocate’s home results in undertaking
A Scottish advocate breached the Data Protection Act after failing to encrypt a laptop containing sensitive personal data which was later stolen, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said today. The laptop was stolen from the home of Ruth Crawford QC in 2009 when she was away on holiday. Ms. Crawford noted that she had left…
NYS suspends 16 workers who snooped in colleague’s file
Rick Karlin reports: Sixteen employees of the state Office of Children and Family Services have been suspended for allegedly snooping in confidential files relating to a co-worker. The victim of the alleged snooping, Kristen Trapalis, was arrested in May and charged with possession of marijuana and endangering the welfare of a child, but those charges were later dropped. Ironically,…
IL: Social Security numbers are disclosed on mailings to participants in Bright Directions college savings program
Monique Garcia report: The Social Security numbers of more than 36,000 people enrolled in a college savings program run by the Illinois treasurer’s office appeared on the outside of envelopes mailed to participants late last month. The potentially compromising information was printed near the space designated for the recipient’s name and address on quarterly newsletters…
NJ: Grieving mother wants law to protect privacy of accident victims
Nora Muchanic of WPVI reports that a distraught New Jersey mother is fighting for legislation that would spare others the anguish she experienced when a first responder uploaded crash photos of her daughter’s accident online before she even knew that her daughter had been in a fatal crash. Cathy Bates, 40, was killed in a…