Alice Lipowicz reports: A federal advisory panel today heard several proposals about how to best protect patient privacy while creating and sharing electronic health records (EHRs). The Health Information Technology Policy Committee convened to prepare recommendations to the Health and Human Services Department on distributing $19 billion in economic stimulus funding for incentive payments for EHRs…
Author: Dissent
HHS guts health-care breach notification law, groups warn
Jaikumar Vijayan reports: Privacy and civil rights advocates accused the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of trying to neuter a landmark data breach notification law for health care organizations that is scheduled to go into effect next week. The law would require any organization covered under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act…
Carders forum hacked, taken offline
Dan Raywood reports: An alleged underground forum used by hackers to sell logins and financial data has been hacked and taken offline. Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at F-Secure, claimed that the web forum named ‘PakBugs’ was an ‘underground’ forum where people discussed hacking techniques and sold malware code, bank logins and stolen credit card numbers. “But…
Commerce Bank replaces cards compromised in Heartland breach
Dan Margolies reports that Commerce Bank in Kansas City is first replacing credit cards after a recent small wave of fraudulent activity was reported. The compromised cards were involved in the Heartland Payment Systems breach disclosed in January 2009. “We are now beginning to reissue some cards that were part of the block of cards…
ID theft ringleader back in custody after 4 years on the lam
The mastermind of an identify theft ring who fled after being sentenced for his role in the scheme to steal personal and confidential credit report profiles of thousands of customers of Weichert Financial Services, Inc. pleaded guilty today to failure to surrender to federal prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra, Jr. announced that Ronald…
Former Randstad branch manager sentenced for embezzlement, ID theft
A former branch manager for Randstad North America, an international staffing firm in Sandy Springs, Georgia, has been sentenced to serve 5 years, 1 month in federal prison on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. In addition, she has been ordered to pay $286,388.37 in restitution. Cynthia Whitehead, 44, of Atlanta, Georgia, was…