In a remarkable screw-up, a Department of Justice official today accidentally distributed to the media a document containing the names of nearly 20 confidential witnesses interviewed during a federal probe targeting the operators of a fraudulent investment scheme. In announcing felony charges against two men for their roles in an alleged $15 million Ponziesque swindle,…
Category: Exposure
UK: Derriford Hospital’s data losses revealed
Confidential data from Derriford Hospital has been lost or stolen 17 times during the past two years, health chiefs have admitted. The theft of seven hospital laptops, patient blood results being sent to the wrong address and members of the public accessing sensitive files are among data problems recorded since January 2007. The hospital revealed…
MW: Zain official in phone privacy breaches revealed
One I missed over the holidays. I think this is the first breach I’ve ever seen out of Malawi…. An official at Zain, Malawi’s second mobile operator has been exposed for invading the privacy of the network’s clients by secretly printing and making available data to Information Minister, Patricia Kaliati. The official, Francis Bisika has…
AR: Discarded documents lead to worries
Mary Kincy Benefield reports: Aaron Janus of Russellville completed a Western Union transaction in 2007. The Boston Mountain Copper Company — which receives its mail at a post office box — contracted with Entergy for its electricity in August 2004. And the fee to send an international money order from the Four Seasons Market in…
UK: Medical notes sent to a stranger
Medical notes of three Dudley patients have been sent in error to a stranger in the town prompting concerns over a government agency’s data security. Rod Phillips, 59, was told he was ineligible for a disability pension and took the matter to tribunal. He said he was alarmed to find three people’s medical notes enclosed…
SC: Ex-official alleges Clemson sold computers with private data
Tim Smith reports: A former Clemson University official suing the university alleges in court documents it sold surplus computers with confidential personal information on them and tried to conceal it from the public — allegations the school denies. Eugene Troutman, a former Clemson board secretary, alleges that when Clemson officials learned computers had been sold…