Debbie Gebolys of The Columbus Dispatch reports that more than 900 current and former COTA employees recently learned that their Social Security numbers had been sent to 51 health-insurance companies who were bidding on providing disability insurance to COTA. This was apparently not the first time this type of thing had happened. In 2006, COTA…
Category: Exposure
EPIC asks FTC to investigate Google’s cloud computing security
Alexei Oreskovic of Reuters reports that EPIC has asked the FTC to investigate the adequacy of Google’s cloud computing security after a problem resulted in unintended file sharing last month. EPIC’s request (pdf) includes Gmail, Google Docs, and Picasa.
VA: Auction hunter finds personal data
A man who bid on seven file cabinets at a storage auction discovered dozens of files inside with personal and financial information that belonged to Breakwater Mortgage Corporation. The firm had gone out of business last year. When contacted, they claimed that no one had been able to access the files after the company went…
ID: Ada County computer system displayed social security numbers
Ysabel Balbao of KTVB reports that Ada County officials are investigating how a file that is typically for court and jail use only wound up exposed on the web. The file is a listing of everyone booked into the county jail and displayed the names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth of over 200…
California Dept. of Real Estate seeks to yank Seaview Financial’s license
Jeff Overley of the Orange County Register reports that the state Department of Real Estate wants to suspend or revoke the license of mortgage broker Seaview Financial for dumping 24 cartons containing confidential and detailed financial records on 350 customers in an elementary school’s bins (see photos). The owner, Paul Henry Reed, had denied wrongdoing…
LA: Medical records discarded in trash bin
Chrissi Coile of KTBS reports that a large pile of medical records containing x-rays, MRIs, names, and Social Security numbers which were found discarded in Toney’s Eastridge Grocery’s trash bin were put there by Dr. Frederick Knight, who admits that it is not the first time he has done something like that. Police are investigating,…