Hacking has topped human error as the top cause of reported data breaches for the first time since such tracking began in 2007, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center’s 2009 Breach Report. In its report, titled “Data Breaches: The Insanity Continues,” the non-profit ITRC found that 19.5 percent of reported breaches were due to…
Author: Dissent
Ie: Revenue set up VIP unit (but don’t the little people deserve privacy too?)
TJ McIntyre writes: One recent story which didn’t attract as much attention as it should have was the revelation that the Revenue have set up a special VIP unit to minimise leaks of confidential information about public figures. This emerged with the publication of an audit by the Data Protection Commissioner which found significant weaknesses…
Malaysians In Thai Credit Card Scam
D.Arul Rajoo reports: “Next time if you come here, please buy for us soap and tooth paste…it’s a luxury here,” the 32-year-old Yassin (not his real name) said. Just few months back he was riding high, buying expensive jewelry, branded electronic items and dining at some of the best places at Bangkok metropolitan. He is…
Heartland in $60 mln settlement agreement with Visa
Reuters is reporting: Heartland Payment Systems Inc (HPY.N) said it reached a $60 million settlement agreement with Visa Inc (V.N), under which it will pay issuers of Visa-branded credit and debit cards for data security breach claims. Heartland, the fifth-largest payments processor in the United States, said the settlement was with respect to losses issuers…
MS: Woman out of a job after sending tweet to Governor Barbour
Julie Straw of WDAM reports: A tweet to Governor Haley Barbour ended with a University Medical Center employee resigning from her job. She said she was simply using the social networking site Twitter to exercise her right to freedom of speech. UMC officials said it was a violation of privacy laws. Last Tuesday afternoon Governor…
UMC lacks way to log patients’ records
Marshall Allen updates us on a recent breach involving allegations that insider(s) accessed and sold patient data to local attorney(s): University Medical Center has no system to track patient records, leading to numerous instances in which hospital paperwork containing Social Security numbers, birth dates and other private information goes missing, a state investigation has found….