[repost] There was a 350% increase in data security breaches last year, according to the Office of Data Protection. Up to 410 instances were reported to the Office of Data Protection Commissioner in 2010, up from 119 in 2009. The Office’s annual report said this is because of a revised Code of Practice rather than…
Author: Dissent
Ca: Mountie docked pay for snooping in database [repost]
[repost] Gary Dimmock reports: A disgraced Mountie has been docked eight days pay after an internal investigation revealed the constable had made numerous unauthorized checks on the force’s national crime data bank and shared some of the information with his wife, an associate and former business partner of a Hells Angel. Const. Todd Glasman became…
UK: Police officers disciplined over private snooping [repost]
[repost] More than 50 police officers in the West Midlands have been disciplined for using police computer systems to check up on people for personal reasons. Some officers have been sacked, fined, or handed written warnings, and others have been reduced in rank after being caught obtaining information for private use between 2005 and 2010,…
GAO report: Taxes and Identity Theft: Status of IRS Initiatives to Help Victimized Taxpayers [repost]
[repost] Taxes and Identity Theft: Status of IRS Initiatives to Help Victimized Taxpayers GAO-11-674T, May 25, 2011 Summary: In 2010, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) processed about 137 million individual income tax returns and issued 107 million refunds totaling over $312 billion. The compliance checks it performs before refunds are issued thus could affect millions of…
Michaels Stores hit with 2nd suit seeking class-action status [repost]
[repost] Becky Yerak reports: Michaels Stores Inc., which disclosed that its checkout-line PIN pads were tampered with in Illinois and 19 other states, has been hit with two lawsuits seeking class-action status by consumers alleging that the arts and crafts retailer failed to safeguard shoppers’ credit and debit card information and PIN numbers. The latest…
German DPAs Publish Comprehensive FAQs on Statutory Data Breach Notification Requirement [repost]
[repost] The German Data Protection Authorities of Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia have issued a paper containing Frequently Asked Questions about the German statutory data breach notification requirement that went into effect on September 1, 2009. The paper provides detailed information on key questions concerning the procedure for notification as required by Section 42a of the…