The summary of the GAO report (pdf) released this week: ….  None of the VAMCs and CBOCs GAO visited were fully compliant with VA policy requirements related to privacy for women veterans in all clinical settings where those requirements applied. For example, many of the medical facilities GAO visited did not have adequate visual and…
Author: Dissent
CORRECTS and REPLACES: Mainframe computer stolen from local TVCC campus
Yesterday this site posted a story from and link to The Palestine Herald about a breach at Trinity Valley Community College. I just received this email, however, that the original source was in error: Good Afternoon, It has been brought to my attention that your website has posted as Associated Press news item regarding a…
Two arrested in UCM breach
As a follow-up to a University of Central Missouri breach reported in June, digitalsburg.com reports that two arrests have been made: a former campus police officer and his wife, James and Amanda Drake. According to the web site, 15 of the students’ information has been used to commit fraudulent activity including opening bank accounts and…
Balancing privacy with better medical data
…. Some observers have decried risks to privacy associated with these plans. They have called for technological safeguards against unauthorized access and patient consent for any release of data from such files. But we ought to be worrying much more about inevitable pressures for authorized access. Creating an authoritative, fully centralized trove of all medical…
Bits ‘n Pieces
In the justice system: David S Patton pleaded guilty to developing a botnet-based spamming tool used by Alan Ralsky. Patton agreed to forfeit an estimated $50,100 from sales of spamming tools called Nexus and Proxy Scanner. Between January 2004 until September 2005, Patton developed and marketing his illegal bulk mailing tools via a firm called…
AT&T temp charged with data theft
A temporary employee for AT&T was arrested today on charges she stole personal information on 2,100 co-workers and then pocketed more than $70,000 by taking out short-term payday loans in the names of 130 of them. Cassandra Walls, 25, of Chicago was indicted on 5 counts of wire fraud and 5 counts of aggravated identity…