A misconfigured database from a child tracking & monitoring firm exposed over 6.8 million private child text messages, 1.8 million images (many depicting children), and over 1700 in-depth child profiles. uKnowKids monitoring software advertises that it “Makes Parenting Easier, and Keeps Kids Safe Online and on the Mobile Phone.” On its web site, it claims that it has helped parents protect…
Category: U.S.
‘Hacktivist’ group ‘Anonymous’ threatens Cincinnati Police Department with release of officer information (UPDATED)
WCPO reports: The hacker group “Anonymous” announced it is taking aim at the Cincinnati Police Department in a video posted on YouTube Sunday. In the video, a masked man at a podium threatens to release the personal information of Cincinnati police officers involved in the shooting of Paul Gaston last week. Read more on WCPO. Update: Anon Verdict…
Update on Community Mercy Health Partners breach
Ben Sutherly reports a follow-up on the Community Mercy Health Partners breach reported previously on this blog. Sutherly reports that the actual number of patients potentially affected was far less than the 113,000 reported to HHS because of duplication. And as a result of the breach, Community Mercy no longer contracts with the vendor, he said. The vendor…
ID: Fruitland dental hygienist accused of insurance fraud
Here’s another case where health care services were provided by someone using a stolen identity, but in this case the stolen identity was used to fraudulently authorize treatments and to defraud insurance carriers. John Sowell reports: Federal prosecutors have accused Cherie R. Dillon of health care fraud and aggravated identity theft tied to her Payette…
Los Angeles physical therapy provider settles HHS charges that it impermissibly disclosed patient information
An announcement by HHS on Feb. 16 seems to have flown under most media radar. It seems that Complete P.T. used patient images and testimonials on their web site without patient consent, generating a complaint to HHS that HHS investigated and confirmed. Complete P.T. has admitted liability, agreed to pay $25,000, and has agreed to a…
California Attorney General Releases Report Defining “Reasonable” Data Security
I’ve previously posted a link to a report by the California Attorney General on breaches in California and recommendations, but I like that this post by Hunton & Williams focuses on the how the recommendations relate to “reasonable security:” Importantly, the Report states that, “[t]he failure to implement all the [Center for Internet Security’s Critical Security]…