Andrew Alderson reports: Experts fear that HM Revenue & Customs has been hit by another security breach, less than three years after it lost the details of 25 million taxpayers. Demands for an investigation come after a woman from Bedfordshire received direct mail using an incorrect surname that only appeared on an HMRC database. One…
Category: Of Note
Guernsey: Data protection law amended to include prison time
Michael Adkins of Collas Day summarizes amendments to the Data Protection (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law. According to Wikipedia, Guernsey is a possession of the UK and not part of the UK nor part of the EU. Of particular interest to me in their amendments: Section 55(2) has been amended to offer further exemptions to people…
Scottrade sues hacker
Barbara Leonard reports: A Russian hacker broke into online brokerage accounts and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from its customers in a “hack, pump and dump” scheme, Scottrade claims in Federal Court. Defendant Valery Maltsev responded in a statement that said, in part: “Scottrade investors didn’t even see that money were going away from…
Survey: Delayed Compliance with New Regulations Has Increased Data Breaches and Medical Identity Theft in U.S. Hospitals
Although some will tend to minimize survey results when the surveyor has a self-serving interest, the results of the recent Identity Force survey of over 200 hospital administrators provides unsurprising, yet troubling, data. From their press release about the survey: PROBLEMS ARE WORSENING DESPITE MAJOR REGULATORY EFFORTS 41.5% of hospitals have TEN OR MORE data…
Blippy Users’ Credit Card Numbers Exposed in Google Search Results
Blippy’s web site says, “Blippy is a fun and easy way to see and discuss what everyone’s buying.” It may also be a fun and easy way for identity thieves to get your credit card number. Jennifer van Grove reports: Sharing your credit card and online purchases with friends on the web sounds risky and…
Affinity Health Plan notifies over 409,000 of breach
Cross-posted from phiprivacy.net: On April 5, Affinity Health Plan issued a press release concerning a “potential security breach” of customer, provider, and staff personal information. According to the release, Affinity was informed on March 17 that an office copier leased previously by it and since returned to the leasing company might contain personal information on…