2008 Woodie Awards
Data Breaches Continue
Tanisha Mathis
Issue date: 10/2/06 Section: Holt News
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Transcripts, recommendations and resumes have a massive impact on the comfort and financial security of a recent college graduate. However, privacy and credit ratings are just as important to the quality of life.
Over recent years the loss of consumer information has been epidemic. According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a San Diego-based consumer advocate, 93,754,333 private records have been mishandled.
The way in which large corporations and institutions mismanage the private information of millions of Americans is staggering, as is the different means by which they lose the information. From lost back up tapes to irresponsibly secured laptops, as companies continue to lose personal data their customers lose their privacy.
Two weeks ago, the Commerce Department announced between 2001 and the present 1,137 laptops were lost, missing or had been stolen from its fifteen operating units. The Census Department lost 672 laptops, 246 of which contained "some degree of personal material. While we know of no instance of personal information being improperly used, we regret each instance of loss material," said Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez in a statement, "and believe the volume of lost equipment is unacceptable."
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs security inadequacy was detailed only four months ago. A laptop and external hard drive containing personal information to include names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth of approximately 28 million veterans was stolen from the private resident of an agency employee. The equipment was recovered in late. Authorities say the data appeared to have not been accessed.
Government organizations have not been alone in acknowledging their miscues. A laptop containing the names, debit and credit card numbers of 243,000 hotel.com customers was stolen in June 2006. The laptop had been left in a car by an Ernst & Young, the auditor for Hotels.com, employee.
Over recent years the loss of consumer information has been epidemic. According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a San Diego-based consumer advocate, 93,754,333 private records have been mishandled.
The way in which large corporations and institutions mismanage the private information of millions of Americans is staggering, as is the different means by which they lose the information. From lost back up tapes to irresponsibly secured laptops, as companies continue to lose personal data their customers lose their privacy.
Two weeks ago, the Commerce Department announced between 2001 and the present 1,137 laptops were lost, missing or had been stolen from its fifteen operating units. The Census Department lost 672 laptops, 246 of which contained "some degree of personal material. While we know of no instance of personal information being improperly used, we regret each instance of loss material," said Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez in a statement, "and believe the volume of lost equipment is unacceptable."
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs security inadequacy was detailed only four months ago. A laptop and external hard drive containing personal information to include names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth of approximately 28 million veterans was stolen from the private resident of an agency employee. The equipment was recovered in late. Authorities say the data appeared to have not been accessed.
Government organizations have not been alone in acknowledging their miscues. A laptop containing the names, debit and credit card numbers of 243,000 hotel.com customers was stolen in June 2006. The laptop had been left in a car by an Ernst & Young, the auditor for Hotels.com, employee.
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