Mainstream media in the U.K. have picked up on a new report based on data obtained under freedom of information requests by Big Brother Watch (BBW). The Guardian reports, ” Councils breached personal data 1,035 times over three years,” while BBC’s headline is “Personal data ‘lost by 132 councils,” and eWeek’s headline is “132 Councils Named And…
Category: Government Sector
Confidential files from Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission found in public trash bin
AP reports: The state government watchdog says confidential personal information was found in documents from a job agency for Ohioans with disabilities that were discovered in an outdoor trash bin. A spokesman for Inspector General Randall Meyer said it was unclear Monday how many Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission records were involved and that the office…
UK: Southwark Council warned after personal data was missing for two years
The London Borough of Southwark Council breached the Data Protection Act by misplacing a computer and papers containing 7,200 peoples’ personal information which were discovered in a dumpster earlier this year. In a press release issued today , the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said the computer and papers were mistakenly left at one of the…
APEC committee alerted to possible data breach (updated)
Dan Nakaso reports: Members of Honolulu’s APEC Host Committee who represent some of Hawaii’s biggest companies and institutions have been told their personal information may have been stolen after security clearances were requested for them to meet with President Barack Obama Saturday night during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. East-West Center President Charles Morrison sent…
Computer IDs, passwords of Japan lawmakers leaked
The computer IDs and passwords of all the lawmakers in the House of Representatives were leaked during recent cyber-attacks against the lower house’s server and personal computers, it has been revealed. In a report released Monday, the lower house also said e-mails sent to its lawmakers might have been accessible to hackers for a maximum…
NYS suspends 16 workers who snooped in colleague’s file
Rick Karlin reports: Sixteen employees of the state Office of Children and Family Services have been suspended for allegedly snooping in confidential files relating to a co-worker. The victim of the alleged snooping, Kristen Trapalis, was arrested in May and charged with possession of marijuana and endangering the welfare of a child, but those charges were later dropped. Ironically,…