Mary Mosquera reports on a privacy issue that I’ve discussed a number of times: that use of allegedly “de-identified” patient information risks re-identification and all that goes with it. The Office of the National Coordinator has begun a study on how to overcome the privacy and security risks of using health information that otherwise has…
Author: Dissent
Higher Damages Possible in Prison Privacy Breach Lawsuit – Court
Courthouse News reports on the latest legal development in a lawsuit that started with a privacy breach in 2001 involving employees at the Federal Medical Center in Kentucky: Staff members at a prison hospital in Kentucky might be entitled to more than $1,000 each for the breach of privacy that occurred when a federal investigator…
Update: Ukranian police arrest 5, targeting brains behind Zeus botnet
Robert McMillan and Grant Gross report: Ukrainian police on Thursday arrested five people thought to be the brains behind a scam using the Zeus Trojan to siphon money from small businesses in the U.S. The operation is part of an ongoing effort to take down a criminal empire that stole $70 million from victims’ bank…
AR: X-Ray Films Stolen from Summit Medical Center
If Yogi Berra were writing this one up, he might say “It’s deja vu all over again.” Alicia Agent reports: Van Buren Police are looking for two men who stole old radiology films from Summit Medical center. Police believe the men took the x-rays so they could be melted down for silver. On August 12,…
FL: Bus driver pleads guilty to stealing disabled passengers’ IDs
Amy L. Edwards reports: A bus driver accused of stealing the identities of her disabled passengers and opening credit accounts with their personal information pleaded guilty to more than two dozen federal charges this week. Watreka Ligon pleaded to 27 counts of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and trafficking in a counterfeit device, court records…
(Update) ALDI breach reports mushroom, customers in 11 states affected
The breach involving ALDI grocery stores is apparently larger than earlier reports suggested as reports trickle in from Pittsburgh and other areas. The chain has updated its statement on its website today: October 1, 2010 ALDI Inc. recently learned that, from approximately June 1, 2010 to August 31, 2010, tampered payment card terminals were illegally…