A news item in Computer World reports that Unisys (in conjuction with the Veterans Administration and FBI) is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the return of a missing desktop computer containing personal data on 38,000 vets. The machine went missing from a Unisys office.
The same article notes the theft from an unnamed accountancy firm of a portable PC containing personal details on an unknown number of Chevron employees. Another report on the Chevron incident says the firm notified employees that "a laptop computer was stolen from an employee of an independent public accounting firm who was auditing our employee savings, health and disability plans". The data included names and Social Security Numbers (at least), and was protected 'by a password'. The absence of a clear statement re the use of encryption is worrying but is all too common. Wake up!
More identity theft info
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