CPA leaves devices with unencrypted client tax data in vehicle, and…. ugh.

Okay, I grant you that I am not in a great mood today, but color me unsympathetic to those who are “horrified” that clients’ data is stolen when they haven’t adequately secured the data.  Case in point:

My Dear Tax Clients,

It is with a heavy heart that I bring you this news. On Friday December 19, 2014, my vehicle was broken into. My briefcase, laptop (password protected) and a flash drive containing confidential client information was stolen. The car was locked and parked on a well-lit commercial area in front of a busy restaurant.

I am horrified that this has happened and I am 110% committed to providing you with my fullest measure of support in dealing with the consequences of this event.

[…]

The laptop, which, I repeat, is password protected, contains confidential information such as tax
returns for current and previous years, as well as copies of supporting documents associated with
those returns. This includes names, addresses, birth dates, and social security numbers for
clients, spouses, and dependents.

The flash drive had only been in use for a couple of weeks and contained some unencrypted data
for a small number of clients. I will be notifying those clients who were identified on the flash
drive via an additional email message. Also stolen was my message log and to-do list containing
several names and telephone numbers.

You can read the remainder of Rob Kirby, CPA‘s breach notification letter on the web site of the California Attorney General.