InfoWatch presents the latest issue of its annual analytical study of confidential data leaks, reported in the world in 2010. The study is based on a database that was maintained by InfoWatch experts since 2004. The InfoWatch leak database includes the incidents that took place in the organizations as a result of malicious insider attacks or careless acts of employees and were released in the mass media and other open sources (incl. web forums and blogs).

There have been 171 reported data breaches so far in 2010, and 20 of these involve financial services companies.

This means that in less than one quarter of the year, we already have seen nearly one-third of the 62 banking-related breaches reported in all of 2009.

In this the heavy tax season where billions of dollars and tons of personal information is relayed to and from the government, it's more disconcerting to hear that the Internal Revenue Service is still struggling to keep private information secure.

IDG News Service

Identity thieves are not only interested in tapping financial resources, but also after your medical identification data and services.

Identity thieves are not only interested in tapping financial resources, but are also after your medical identification data and services.

By Phil Lieberman, president & CEO, Lieberman Software, and Henry Helgeson, co-CEO, Merchant Warehouse, Network World

About a year ago security at Heartland Payment Systems Inc. was breached and information affecting more than 100 million credit cards stolen. Was it Heartland's fault, or should the credit card companies shoulder more of the responsibility?