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Category Archives: ID Theft

Sixth Annual Benchmark Study on Privacy & Security of Healthcare Data

“The Sixth Annual Benchmark Study on Privacy and Security of Healthcare Data by the Ponemon Institute, finds that criminal attacks are the leading cause of half of all data breaches in healthcare.  Employee mistakes, third-party snafus, and stolen computer devices—are the root cause of the other half of data breaches. The study also found that… Continue Reading

Lack of Trust in Internet Privacy and Security May Deter Economic and Other Online Activities

National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA): “Every day, billions of people around the world use the Internet to share ideas, conduct financial transactions, and keep in touch with family, friends, and colleagues. Users send and store personal medical data, business communications, and even intimate conversations over this global network. But for the Internet to grow… Continue Reading

Multiple data security breaches reported by FDIC

Washington Post: “In yet another example of fragile security in federal cyber systems, data for 44,000 Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. customers were breached by an employee leaving the agency. The breach occurred in February and was outlined in an internal FDIC memorandum obtained by The Washington Post. The March 18 memo from Lawrence Gross Jr.,… Continue Reading

EU Parliament adopts General Data Protection Regulation

European Parliament News: “New EU data protection rules [EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”)] which aim to give citizens back control of their personal data and create a high, uniform level of data protection across the EU fit for the digital era was given their final approval by MEPs on Thursday. The reform also sets… Continue Reading

GAO Reports – FEMA, Federal Real Property, IRS InfoSec and ID Theft, Resolution Plans, Presidential Drawdowns, Terrorism Risk Insurance

Federal Emergency Management Agency: Progress and Continuing Challenges in National Preparedness Efforts, GAO-16-560T: Published: Apr 12, 2016. Publicly Released: Apr 12, 2016. Federal Real Property: Improving Data Transparency and Expanding the National Strategy Could Help Address Long-standing Challenges, GAO-16-275: Published: Mar 31, 2015. Publicly Released: Apr 12, 2016. Information Security: IRS Needs to Further Improve… Continue Reading

FTC Announces Significant Enhancements to IdentityTheft.gov

“For the first time, identity theft victims can now go online and get a free, personalized identity theft recovery plan as a result of significant enhancements to the Federal Trade Commission’s IdentityTheft.gov website. The new one-stop website is integrated with the FTC’s consumer complaint system, allowing consumers who are victims of identity theft to rapidly… Continue Reading

Annual Report to Congress: Federal Information Security Modernization Act

Submitted by OMB, March 18, 2016 – “The attached report is submitted pursuant to Section 3553 of the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-283), which requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to submit an annual report on the effectiveness of information security policies and practices during the preceding year and… Continue Reading

Resources for National Consumer Protection Week

“National Consumer Protection Week (March 6-12, 2016) highlights the importance of understanding your consumer rights to make informed buying decisions. And it gives you the chance to learn about and share information to protect yourself and others from scams and fraud. Find a wealth of tips and information on a variety of consumer topics: banking,… Continue Reading

FTC Releases Annual Summary of Consumer Complaints

News release: “Debt collection, identity theft and imposter scams were the most common categories of consumer complaints received by the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Sentinel Network in 2015, according to the agency’s new data book. While debt collection complaints rose to the top spot among complaint categories, the report notes that this was due in… Continue Reading

California AG Releases 2016 Data Breach Report, Retail and Financial Sectors Most Vulnerable

EPIC – “A new report from California Attorney General Kamala Harris examines data breaches in California from 2012 to 2015. There were 657 data breaches during the last four years, which compromised over 49 million records. The retail sector experienced the largest share of breaches at 25%, followed by the financial sector at 18%. Among… Continue Reading

President Obama’s new Cybersecurity National Action Plan

“What is the President’s Cybersecurity National Action Plan (CNAP)? It’s the capstone of more than seven years of effort from this administration that takes near-term actions and puts in place a long-term strategy to ensure the federal government, the private sector, and American citizens can take better control of our digital security. The President’s plan… Continue Reading

FTC Announces Significant Enhancements to IdentityTheft.gov

“For the first time, identity theft victims can now go online and get a free, personalized identity theft recovery plan as a result of significant enhancements to the Federal Trade Commission’s IdentityTheft.gov website. The new one-stop website is integrated with the FTC’s consumer complaint system, allowing consumers who are victims of identity theft to rapidly… Continue Reading