Jennifer Graham of the Canadian Press reports: Gary Dickson has seen abandoned medical records turn up in some pretty bizarre places in his time as Saskatchewan’s privacy commissioner – mouldy basements, drafty Quonset huts, vacant buildings. He argues that more needs to be done to protect sensitive, personal health information left behind when a doctor…
Author: Dissent
Arrow Electronics notifies 4,044 employees of stolen laptop
The theft of a laptop from the office of Arrow Electronics in Melville, New York has resulted in the company notifying 4,044 current and former employees that their personal information was on the laptop. According to a notification sent to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office and to those affected last week, the laptop was…
Server theft at Arkansas eye clinic could affect 9,000 people
Louis Short of the Sun-Times reports: A burglary overnight Wednesday has the potential to affect approximately 9,000 people. A computer server was stolen from McNair Eye Center on Industrial Park Road, east of Heber Springs. The server contains information for approximately 9,000 patients. So far, no detail on what kinds of patient information were on…
[RANT] New Rule: No Waffling
A recent press release and open letter from Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites induces a rant. I’m working on my taxes and thought I’d send this notification off to the I.R.S.: To valued I.R.S. employees: I wish to inform you of possible income earned involving my private practice. At some point during the period April…
UK Commons committee rejects six-year DNA records plan
Alan Travis reports: Government proposals to keep the DNA profiles of innocent people for up to six years have been rejected by the Commons home affairs select committee. The MPs’ report, published in advance of a key Commons vote on DNA, says they are not convinced that such a long retention period will lead to…
Local govt computers at risk in Japan
Computer servers operated by a number of local governments are vulnerable to cyber-attacks, with some local entities failing to take countermeasures, according to an internal document of a government-affiliated organization. The Local Authorities Systems Development Center document showed that servers managed by at least 193 local entities, which include prefectural and municipal governments and possibly…