Alexander J. Martin reports that there’s a response to a report of vulnerabilities previously noted on this site. The Global Alliance for Genomics & Health has downplayed vulnerabilities found in its genome-sharing network by two Stanford researchers. Carlos Bustamante and Suyash Shringarpure, postdoctoral scholars in genetics at Stanford, had raised concerns about The Beacon Project’s…
Category: Health Data
CEA Releases Guidelines on Privacy and Security of Personal Wellness Data
Meena Harris writes: Last week, the Consumer Electronics Association (“CEA”) announced its Guiding Principles on the Privacy and Security of Personal Wellness Data, a set of baseline, voluntary guidelines for private-sector organizations that handle the type of data often produced by wearable technologies. Read about the guidelines on Covington & Burling InsidePrivacy.
Stanford researchers identify potential security hole in genomic data-sharing network
Hackers with access to a person’s genome might find out if that genome is in an international network of disease databases. Sharing genomic information among researchers is critical to the advance of biomedical research. Yet genomic data contains identifiable information and, in the wrong hands, poses a risk to individual privacy. If someone had access…
Our veterans deserve better infosecurity of their information
When News3 in Madison, Wisconsin started digging into a breach involving 637 veterans’ Social Security numbers, what they found should have everyone asking the VA some hard questions. Adam Schrager reports: The Social Security numbers of Wisconsin veterans are being sent via email without encryption despite numerous federal laws and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs…
UK: Confidential hospital patient details found lying on public footpath
The Argus reports: Confidential details of 37 patients were discovered lying on a public footpath near a hospital. The information related to patients, many of whom were elderly and vulnerable, being cared for at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. The papers included patient names, the town where they lived, their treatment and whether they live on…
Federal authorities investigate Henrico State Senate candidate Dunnavant for possible HIPAA violations
WWBT reports: Federal authorities have launched an investigation concerning Republican State Senate candidate Dr. Siobhan Dunnavant, after a complaint alleged the Henrico doctor used her private patient information to solicit contributions, volunteers and votes. The investigation is being led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. The Department’s regional…