Harley Geiger writes about an issue I’ve discussed on this blog in the past: the privacy of the deceased’s medical records: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) wants to remove health information privacy protections from people who have been dead for 50 years. HHS issued a proposed rule to update health privacy regulations,…
NY: Rent-a-Center papers with personal info found on Buffalo road
Eli George reports: Top secret personal information was found scattered to the wind. That’s right; it happened again. Paperwork containing private financial information was found in the street. It’s hard enough protecting personal information, but when it’s out on the street, for anyone to see, it’s impossible. Well, let’s just say two young women were…
JP: Hackers steal customer data by accessing supermarket database
Hackers stole customer data from eight online supermarkets in Japan, including Uny Co. and Neo Beat Co., in July using a hacking technique called SQL injection to access their databases, sources familiar with the matter said Friday. A source close to Neo Beat, which also operates the websites of these online supermarkets, said it believes…
Feds still questioning AT&T iPad site hackers
Elinor Mills reports: Several members of a hacker group responsible for exposing a hole on an AT&T Web site for iPad customers have been questioned by a federal grand jury about the incident, the group confirmed to CNET on Friday. “No warrants or indictments yet. Two Goatse analysts, ‘Sloth’ and ‘Rucas,’ went before a grand…
HITRUST: HIPAA Breaches Near $1 Billion
Dom Nicastro reports: Covered entities and business associates reporting breaches of unsecured personal health information (PHI) affecting 500 or more individuals to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) together could spend nearly $1 billion because of those breaches. According to a report from the Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST), 108 entities submitting the breach reports…
Ca: Province responding to privacy breach
The provincial government is responding to another privacy breach. The personal information of 78 people was included in error in written correspondence mailed to another person. The breach involved applicants to the province’s Heating Oil Storage Tank Replacement Assistance Program. The information collected from applicants for this program includes their name, spouse’s name, Social Insurance…