Insiders reach UK government departments
Even highly-protected agencies like UK government ministries are unable to prevent insider attacks. Experts at InfoWatch are astonished by the inaction of businesses and state bodies because its not as if the necessary solutions don’t exist. They need only be deployed and set to work…
Laptops falling like flies
Criminals are stealing laptops containing private data literally by the dozen. Data breaches are being reported one after the other, but laptop owners are doing nothing about it. According to experts at InfoWatch, the latest series of leaks and thefts point to the scale of the problem.
Criminal activity detected in Scotland's call centers
Criminal gangs in the UK have infiltrated dozens of call centers. Despite measures taken by the police to combat the trend, the problem remains a major threat. According to experts at InfoWatch, police in Scotland have recognized the level of danger posed by the insider threat, but they have yet to react to the problem in the right way.
Outsourcing brings with it threat of major losses
GDXData, a US state contractor that secretly shipped the personal data of state employees to an Indian firm for processing, faces the prospect of hefty fines and the loss of all its state contracts. According to experts at InfoWatch, the contractor should have informed its client that it would outsource the private data. GDXData could now lose all its business.
Diebold e-voting source code leaked again
Source code for voting machines has been leaked once again by a development company. The code could be used to create a counterfeit voting card that could influence election results. According to experts at InfoWatch, the developers of such vitally important software have to be much more careful when protecting their intellectual property.
Private data leaked from Ontario Science Centre and Hancock Askew
A science centre in Ontario and a US accounting firm have both lost laptops containing private data in separate incidents. The latest data leaks have put over 400,000 people at risk of identity theft. According to experts at InfoWatch, the wave of laptop thefts leading to leaks of private information may well spread to other countries in the near future.
More private student data leaked from University of Minnesota
Another laptop has been lost by the University of Minnesota. This time the private details of 200 students have been compromised. Experts at InfoWatch stress that there is a very simple way of minimizing the risks arising from such incidents: encrypt all confidential data. A University of Minnesota spokesman confirmed that a second laptop computer that contained private student data was stolen from the university this summer.
Private data leaked from T-Mobile USA Inc.
A T-Mobile USA employee has lost a laptop with the personal data of 43,000 former and current workers at the Deutsche Telekom subsidiary. The computer disappeared from the employee’s checked luggage during a flight. Experts at InfoWatch point out that when an airline does not allow laptops to be taken on to a plane as hand luggage, it’s better to leave them in the office...
NASA secrets stolen from Russia's Star City
Thieves have stolen computer equipment belonging to NASA from Russia’s Star City outside Moscow. Confidential information belonging to the US space agency now appears to be in the hands of the criminals. According to experts at InfoWatch, all secrets on portable computers need to be encrypted because locked doors and barred windows do not deter thieves.
Europe mulls data breach notification law
Europe looks set to adopt a data breach notification law that will oblige telecoms companies to inform their clients if their personal data is compromised. According to experts at InfoWatch, a similar law is needed in Russia.
