Abby Sewell reports: Following a break-in at a county health contractor’s office that led to the theft of computers containing personal information about more than 342,000 patients, Los Angeles County supervisors moved to tighten protocols for protecting data. The county already requires that workers’ laptops be encrypted. The supervisors voted Tuesday to extend that policy…
Los Angeles County moves to require computer encryption after medical data breach
Abby Sewell reports: Following a break-in at a county health contractor’s office that led to the theft of computers containing personal information about more than 342,000 patients, Los Angeles County supervisors moved to tighten protocols for protecting data. The county already requires that workers’ laptops be encrypted. The supervisors voted Tuesday to extend that policy…
California bill would boost data breach notice requirements
AP reports that retailers would have to notify customers of data breaches under a bill that passed the state Assembly, AB1710. The bill also requires retailers to provide credit monitoring services. The bill passed the Assembly 43-24 on Tuesday, and now heads to the state Senate. Bill text.
ICO slaps Student Loans Company after multiple breaches
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has criticised the Student Loans Company Limited after a series of data breaches involving customers’ records. The business reported several incidents where information held about customers, including medical details and a psychological assessment, had been sent to the wrong people. An ICO investigation found that not enough checks were carried…
iPhone owners hit by ‘ransomware’ hack demanding money for their phones
James Vincent reports: An iPhone feature designed to discourage theft by letting users shut down their smartphone remotely has reportedly being compromised by hackers using it to hold mobiles to ransom. Posts from Apple’s official support forums describe how users’ Find My iPhone feature (also available for the iPad) has been hijacked by fraudsters who…
Computer hacker “Sabu” turned FBI mole sentenced in U.S. to time served
Bernard Vaughn and Nate Raymond report: A leading hacker who authorities say helped disrupt at least 300 cyber attacks after agreeing to become an FBI cooperator was sentenced to time served on Tuesday. Authorities say Hector Xavier Monsegur, a onetime member of the cyber-activist hacking group Anonymous who under the name “Sabu” co-founded the offshoot…