Are cases of access in excess of authorization involving federal employees snooping in databases treated too lightly? Levi Pulkkinen reports on a case where some may think that a federal employee who misused access to the IRS database got off too lightly: An IRS worker accused of using the agency’s service database to snoop on her…
University of Houston College of Optometry Clinic Posts Breach Alert
Alert posted on University of Houston College of Optometry‘s web site: La Nueva Casa de Amigos Eye Clinic, a neighborhood clinic of the University of Houston College of Optometry, has notified about 7,000 individuals of a potential data exposure involving a computer containing clinic patient records. The university is not aware of any wrongful use…
Texas Air Force Base investigating how patient records wound up in former service member's home (updated)
Stacy Johnson reports: Sheppard Air Force Base’s 82nd Medical Group is looking into a possible breach of patient privacy after a man brought in several medical records dating from 2003 to 2007 that he found in his estranged wife’s closet on April 17. James Haynes, who lives in Boyd, said he and his wife are…
UK: Police officer on trial for using files to vet one of his wife’s tenants
A police officer has gone on trial accused of using a police station computer to vet one of his wife’s tenants. Harry To, a constable with Fife Constabulary, is said to have accessed the force’s “Crimefile” computerised recording system without authority on seven occasions. Read more on STV. Long-time readers realize that this is not…
Massachusetts: state of the breach reports, 2011
Massachusetts has provided another update/report on data breach notifications they receive. You can access the full report (pdf) on their web site. Here are a few snippets from the report: Since the Data Security law, c. 93H, went into effect, the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation has tracked the data breach notifications it…
CT: Waterbury Saint Mary’s Hospital Patient X-Rays, Medical Information, Used By Radiology Tech Students Without Permission
The headline only tells half the story. George Gombossy reports that not only was this going on, but a student who raised the issue/concern was told to keep it secret. Many of the x-rays allegedly contained patients’ name, date of birth, and physician notes. Sharp-eyed readers will be wondering why the instructor, who was a…