The Gainesville Sun reports that AvMed Health Plans announced that personal information of some current and former subscribers may have been compromised by the theft of two company laptops from its corporate offices in Gainesville on Dec. 11. The information includes names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers and protected health information, according to an…
Author: Dissent
AvMed: Data of 208,000 at risk after Gainesville theft
The Gainesville Sun reports that AvMed Health Plans announced that personal information of some current and former subscribers may have been compromised by the theft of two company laptops from its corporate offices in Gainesville on Dec. 11. The information includes names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers and protected health information, according to an…
HIPAA Harm Threshold Works, Say Providers
Dom Nicastro reports: HHS’ “harm threshold” standard in its interim final rule on breach notification will prevent healthcare organizations from overwhelming patients with unnecessary breach notification responses, according to providers who work with privacy and security. At the 18th annual National HIPAA Summit Friday, Judi Hofman, CAP, CHP, CHSS, privacy/information security officer for Cascade Healthcare…
Liechtenstein bank owes tax dodger damages, court rules
A German tax dodger has won millions in damages in a suit against his Liechtenstein bank for failing to reveal that his information was stolen along with hundreds of other account holders and sold to Berlin for a criminal investigation. The case against LGT Treuhand, a former subsidiary of the LGT Group, was decided in…
IA: Security breaches of state computer systems in recent years
A number of news sources in Iowa are considering the state’s plans to consolidate its computer systems in light of the recent hack involving the state racing and gaming commission. A listing of 10 breaches involving state computers can be found here. Eight of the 10 breaches are from the education sector.
AU: Extorted companies silent on stolen data
Darren Pauli reports: Desperate companies are buying off data thieves and extortionists to recover stolen data, according to experts. They claim it is “common” for some businesses operating in Australia to pay ransoms to hackers and disgruntled employees to re-secure sensitive information or prevent illicit corporate activities from becoming public. Law firm MMLC Group managing…