Stolen laptop contains names and allegations in state DCF cases
Technorati Tag: Security Breach
Date Reported:
9/20/07
Organization:
State of Connecticut
Contractor/Consultant:
Department of Children and Families (DCF)*
The mission of the Department of Children and Families is to protect children, improve child and family well-being and support and preserve families. These efforts are accomplished by respecting and working within individual cultures and communities in Connecticut, and in partnership with others.
Victims:
Persons associated with Department of Children and Families cases in Northwest Connecticut
Number Affected:
41 Cases (number of individuals unknown)
Types of Data:
Name, birth date, case information including allegations of abuse, neglect, etc.
Breach Description:
A laptop containing sensitive DCF case information was stolen from the car of a contractor hired to work on DCF cases sometime between the night of September 5th and the morning of September 6th.
Reference URL:
Republican American
Report Credit:
Republican American (rep-am.com)
Response:
From the online resource referenced above:
"A laptop containing confidential information related to 41 Department of Children and Families cases in Northwest Connecticut was stolen two weeks ago, state officials said Thursday"
"The laptop, which belongs to the department, was stolen in Watertown out of a car between the night of Sept. 5 and early morning Sept. 6. The car belongs to a contractor hired to work with DCF officials on cases."
"Names, birth dates and allegations related to those 41 cases were on the password-protected computer. The computer did not contain any Social Security numbers or bank or credit card information, officials said. Those involved in the 41 cases have been notified of the theft."
[Comfyllama] Don't be fooled into thinking that "password protection" is any kind of protection except from the casual thief. It is very fortunate that Social Security numbers are not in the case files, many states include that information.
"DCF employees had a deadline of Thursday to delete any unnecessary confidential information from portable electronic devices, said spokesman Gary Kleeblatt. The department has also begun requiring employees to receive authorization before taking a mobile electronic device that contains confidential information out of any department building."
[Comfyllama] The deadline was imposed as a result of the reaction stemming from the stolen Department of Revenue Services (DRS) laptop reported at the end of August that affected 106,000.
Commentary:
More bad news for the great State of Connecticut. In the last month citizens have been hit with a tri-fecta of breaches.
Past Breaches:
August, 2007 - Stolen Connecticut Department of Revenue Services Laptop Affects 106,000
September, 2007 - Ohio Tape Contained Sensitive Connecticut Information
Date Reported:
9/20/07Organization:
State of Connecticut
Contractor/Consultant:
Department of Children and Families (DCF)*
The mission of the Department of Children and Families is to protect children, improve child and family well-being and support and preserve families. These efforts are accomplished by respecting and working within individual cultures and communities in Connecticut, and in partnership with others.
Victims:
Persons associated with Department of Children and Families cases in Northwest Connecticut
Number Affected:
41 Cases (number of individuals unknown)
Types of Data:
Name, birth date, case information including allegations of abuse, neglect, etc.
Breach Description:
A laptop containing sensitive DCF case information was stolen from the car of a contractor hired to work on DCF cases sometime between the night of September 5th and the morning of September 6th.
Reference URL:
Republican American
Report Credit:
Republican American (rep-am.com)
Response:
From the online resource referenced above:
"A laptop containing confidential information related to 41 Department of Children and Families cases in Northwest Connecticut was stolen two weeks ago, state officials said Thursday"
"The laptop, which belongs to the department, was stolen in Watertown out of a car between the night of Sept. 5 and early morning Sept. 6. The car belongs to a contractor hired to work with DCF officials on cases."
"Names, birth dates and allegations related to those 41 cases were on the password-protected computer. The computer did not contain any Social Security numbers or bank or credit card information, officials said. Those involved in the 41 cases have been notified of the theft."
[Comfyllama] Don't be fooled into thinking that "password protection" is any kind of protection except from the casual thief. It is very fortunate that Social Security numbers are not in the case files, many states include that information.
"DCF employees had a deadline of Thursday to delete any unnecessary confidential information from portable electronic devices, said spokesman Gary Kleeblatt. The department has also begun requiring employees to receive authorization before taking a mobile electronic device that contains confidential information out of any department building."
[Comfyllama] The deadline was imposed as a result of the reaction stemming from the stolen Department of Revenue Services (DRS) laptop reported at the end of August that affected 106,000.
Commentary:
More bad news for the great State of Connecticut. In the last month citizens have been hit with a tri-fecta of breaches.
Past Breaches:
August, 2007 - Stolen Connecticut Department of Revenue Services Laptop Affects 106,000
September, 2007 - Ohio Tape Contained Sensitive Connecticut Information
Posts Atom 1.0
I'm the Communications Director for CSEA/SEIU Local 2001, the union representing 25,000 active and retired CT public sector workers, including hundreds who work in IT for the State of CT -- the numerous recent data thefts have many of our members outraged, and we'd like to share some of our knowledge -- particularly of the outsourced consulting firms behind many of these scandals -- with your subscribers.
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