In 2009 German companies had to invest more than they did only a year ago when they suffered a data breach with subsequent data abuse. More and more frequently the source of the error leading to violation of data protection is not in the company’s own building but on the premises of external providers who…
More than 200 FFD workers warned personal info may be compromised
Minna Sugimoto reports: More than 200 Federal Fire Department workers are being advised to look for unusual activity on their bank accounts, after allegations that an employee wrongfully accessed their personal information. Navy officials in Hawaii launched an investigation after receiving an anonymous complaint that personal data was being compromised. Top brass at the Federal…
Liechtenstein digs in heels against stolen bank data
The small tax haven of Liechtenstein is preparing to backpedal on an agreement with Germany to crack down on tax dodgers, and now plans to give no help if investigations are based on stolen data, a report said Wednesday. The tiny alpine principality, which lies between Switzerland and Austria, intends to introduce new clauses into…
Confidential information about students left exposed in Education Ministry hallway
Or Kashti reports: Sensitive personal information about students, including psychological diagnoses and school evaluations, is being stored at an unsupervised location in a corridor of an Education Ministry building in Jerusalem. Any visitor who gets through the building’s initial security inspection, if he were so inclined, could look through the documents and even take them….
(follow-up) Leak of Atlanta firefighter data due to filesharing
Some additional information on a leak involving personal information on some Atlanta firefighters suggests that the files wound up on the Internet due to a filesharing program. As interesting, some city officials first found out about the leak during a security workshop where a presenter used the data as an example of what you can…
(follow-up) District Data Breach Leads to Prison Time
Dian Schaffhauser reports: A Washington State man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to 31 counts of criminal activity, most related to a school district data breach. Christopher Berge, now 21, was a student at Mountain View High School in Evergreen Public Schools when he “shoulder surfed”–physically observed–a password used…