Small N.C. tax preparation business break-in
Technorati Tag: Security Breach
Date Reported:
11/21/08
Organization:
B.J. Accessories and Tax Preparation
Contractor/Consultant/Branch:
None
Location:
New Bern, North Carolina
Victims:
Clients
Number Affected:
"approximately 70"
Types of Data:
"personal information"
Breach Description:
"New Bern police say a computer stolen from a tax-preparation business in the city this week contains identity information of about 70 people."
Reference URL:
Sun Journal
WNCT Channel 9 News
Report Credit:
Sun Journal
Response:
From the online sources cited above:
New Bern police say a computer stolen from a tax-preparation business in the city this week contains identity information of about 70 people.
[Evan] This is a smaller breach in terms of the number of people involved, but a pretty significant breach in terms of the amount and quality of each person's information vulnerable to compromise.
The computer was stolen from B.J. Accessories and Tax Preparation on Neuse Boulevard.
The business shares a building with Platinum Angel Hair Design on the 3000th block of the street.
3332A Neuse Blvd.
An officer found the front glass door of the hair salon shattered Thursday morning.
[Evan] The officer found the break-in during a "routine business check". There appears to have been no alarm system.
The owner of the salon said nothing was missing from that business.
Police are still investigating the theft, and had no suspects as of Friday night.
The owner of the tax-preparation business has been told to notify clients about a possible breech of their personal information.
"Anyone who believes their personal information has been stolen should immediately notify police in the jurisdiction where the theft occurred," said police spokeswoman Beth Stevenson.
"They should also place a fraud alert with any of the three major credit-reporting agencies."
Commentary:
We don't have much information about this breach. I have a feeling that these types of breaches happen fairly often, and are largely under-reported. I doubt that the stolen computer (or the data it contained) were encrypted. Do retailers and small businesses not think of information security? Do they think that they aren't a big enough target? Do they think they can't afford sound information security? What do small businesses think when it comes to protecting information assets entrusted to them?
Maybe I should fund a small business information security survey. I'm interested in knowing more.
Past Breaches:
Unknown
Date Reported:11/21/08
Organization:
B.J. Accessories and Tax Preparation
Contractor/Consultant/Branch:
None
Location:
New Bern, North Carolina
Victims:
Clients
Number Affected:
"approximately 70"
Types of Data:
"personal information"
Breach Description:
"New Bern police say a computer stolen from a tax-preparation business in the city this week contains identity information of about 70 people."
Reference URL:
Sun Journal
WNCT Channel 9 News
Report Credit:
Sun Journal
Response:
From the online sources cited above:
New Bern police say a computer stolen from a tax-preparation business in the city this week contains identity information of about 70 people.
[Evan] This is a smaller breach in terms of the number of people involved, but a pretty significant breach in terms of the amount and quality of each person's information vulnerable to compromise.
The computer was stolen from B.J. Accessories and Tax Preparation on Neuse Boulevard.
The business shares a building with Platinum Angel Hair Design on the 3000th block of the street.
3332A Neuse Blvd.
An officer found the front glass door of the hair salon shattered Thursday morning.
[Evan] The officer found the break-in during a "routine business check". There appears to have been no alarm system.
The owner of the salon said nothing was missing from that business.
Police are still investigating the theft, and had no suspects as of Friday night.
The owner of the tax-preparation business has been told to notify clients about a possible breech of their personal information.
"Anyone who believes their personal information has been stolen should immediately notify police in the jurisdiction where the theft occurred," said police spokeswoman Beth Stevenson.
"They should also place a fraud alert with any of the three major credit-reporting agencies."
Commentary:
We don't have much information about this breach. I have a feeling that these types of breaches happen fairly often, and are largely under-reported. I doubt that the stolen computer (or the data it contained) were encrypted. Do retailers and small businesses not think of information security? Do they think that they aren't a big enough target? Do they think they can't afford sound information security? What do small businesses think when it comes to protecting information assets entrusted to them?
Maybe I should fund a small business information security survey. I'm interested in knowing more.
Past Breaches:
Unknown
Posted by Evan Francen at 11/28/2008 9:53 AM 
Categories: Stolen Computer, B.J. Accessories and Tax Preparation
Categories: Stolen Computer, B.J. Accessories and Tax Preparation
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