Posted on Thu, Jun. 10, 2010
Judge orders plaintiff review in webcam case
If there was one phrase that irked critics of Lower Merion School District's 69-page report on how, when, and why it secretly activated webcams on student laptops, it might have been the two words in large type on the cover:
Independent Investigation.
… On Wednesday, a federal judge took a step that could quell those concerns, ordering the district to share some of its computer evidence with a consultant for the family suing Lower Merion over the webcam monitoring.
… In essence, the order signed Wednesday allows the Robbinses' computer expert to run his own tests to see if the steps taken by the district's investigators were sufficient to locate all of the photos captured by the webcams.
The order requires L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. to let that expert, John Steinbach, copy a mirror image of the hard drive of the computer used by a network technician, Michael Perbix.
… One of Perbix's bosses, information-systems coordinator Carol Cafiero, spent more than six hours Tuesday answering questions under oath from the Robbinses' attorney as part of the lawsuit. In an earlier deposition, Cafiero had declined to answer Haltzman's questions, citing her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
This is interesting. I like: “Even if you don't have to report it, you have to keep a record of it.” but there are too many loopholes.
http://www.databreaches.net/?p=12125
Ie: Proposed Data Security Breach Code of Practise
June 11, 2010 by admin
Brian Honan, who has often contributed news leads and links to this site, blogs about the proposed breach notification law in Ireland:
As someone who has been campaigning for mandatory data breach disclosure laws in Ireland for a number of years I am pleased to see the proposed Data Security Breach Code of Practise from the office of the Data Protection Commissioner. I have long argued that organisations need to realise that the data they hold on staff and customers is not theirs but rather has been entrusted to them by those individuals. The purpose of breach notification should not be to punish the organisation that suffered a breach but rather to help the affected individuals take appropriate steps to protect themselves, especially nowadays with identity theft and financial fraud being so rife.
Read more on Security Watch.
Interesting take on search. If you claim the searches are necessary to prevent terrorist activity, shouldn't you actually search immediately? The CNET article suggests a single image was found (at the time he entered the country) that was considered illegal. We'll never see the evidence of course, it's illegal.
http://www.pogowasright.org/?p=11093
Judge limits DHS warrantless laptop searches
June 10, 2010 by Dissent
Dan Goodin reports:
A federal judge has thrown out key evidence in a child pornography trial because the laptop alleged to contain more than 1,000 illegal images wasn’t searched until about five months after US customs officials seized it at a US border crossing.
The ruling by US District Judge Jeffrey S. White of the Northern District of California is a rebuke to the federal government’s controversial search and seizure practices at US borders. Two years ago, a federal appeals court ruled customs officers had the right to rummage through electronic devices even when there was no reason to suspect the hardware held illegal contents. Last week’s ruling suggests the government’s latitude isn’t without limit.
Read more in The Register. Declan McCullagh has more on the case on cnet.
[From the CNET article:
The Justice Department invoked a novel argument--which White dubbed "unpersuasive"--claiming that while Hanson was able to enter the country, his laptop remained in a kind of legal limbo where the Bill of Rights did not apply.
… Customs agents also searched Hanson's laptop three times in February 2009, with the first search taking place about a week after he entered the country and turning up no evidence of child pornography. The second and third searches allegedly did. White allowed the results of those searches to be used as evidence, saying they were "justified as an extended border search supported by reasonable suspicion."
(Related) I can see an interest when investigating crime (or accidents?) but how about “drive-by” examinations, or third party (your insurance agent or the repair guys) reviews of your driving history?
http://www.pogowasright.org/?p=11090
More on vehicle “black boxes”–applying the “Big Brother” standard under the Fourth Amendment
June 10, 2010 by Dissent
Over on FourthAmendment.com, John Wesley Hall, Jr. has a commentary on the use of automotive “black boxes” and under what conditions the government can use them as evidence. The commentary seems inspired by a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposal to require black boxes in all cars.
John writes, in part:
What about the privacy implications? Can the government legitimately require a “black box” as an event recorder? They do in commercial airliners, but the interests are vastly different. What’s the government interest in having them in all cars manufactured after a certain date, which I’m guessing means they will be in 85+% of all cars in ten years.
People have been convicted based on evidence from the “black box” refuting their statements to the police, as noted in the blog and the case law. My view is that a search warrant is required for the “black box” in a car. It is not like any other search of a car. Liken it to finding a computer in a car. It can’t be searched under the automobile exception or inventory, and a warrant is required for it, too.
Read his entire commentary on FourthAmendment.com
Describing the world, one statistic at a time?
http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/024449.html
June 10, 2010
Pew Study: When to Buy Your Child a Cellphone
When to Buy Your Child a Cellphone, Stefanie Olsen, New York Times, Jun 9, 2010: "About 75 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds in the United States own a mobile phone, up from 45 percent in 2004, according to an April study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, part of the Pew Research Center. And children are getting their phones at earlier ages, industry experts say. The Pew study, for example, found that 58 percent of 12-year-olds now had a cellphone, up from 18 percent in 2004. Parents generally say they buy their child a phone for safety reasons, because they want to be able to reach the child anytime. Cost also matters to parents, cellphone industry experts say; phones and family plans from carriers are both becoming more affordable. Also, as adults swap out their old devices for newer smartphones, it is easier to pass down a used phone. But for children, it is all about social life and wanting to impress peers. The Pew study found that half of 12- to 17-year-olds sent 50 text messages a day and texted their friends more than they talked to them on the phone or even face to face."
(Related)
http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/024452.html
June 10, 2010
Pew Internet Report: Neighbors Online
Neighbors Online by Aaron Smith, June 9, 2010: "One in five Americans use digital tools to communicate with neighbors and monitor community developments."
Let your computer tell you whenever something wrong/strange/different happens.
10 Database Activities You Should Monitor to Prevent Data Breaches, featuring Gartner
Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2010 Time: 8:00 am PT/11:00 am ET Duration: 60 Minutes
… hear featured presenter, Jeffrey Wheatman, Gartner's research director discuss the "Ten Database Activities Enterprises Need to Monitor," a newly-released Gartner Report, which details the latest security threats, reveals best practices for securing sensitive data and explains how to evaluate database activity monitoring (DAM) and fraud detection technologies.
Identify fraud with application-layer monitoring (ERP, CRM, HR, BI/data warehouse, financial/accounting).
Address audit findings for database segregation of duties (SOD) and change management.
Mitigate the high levels of risk resulting from database vulnerabilities.
Leverage advanced functions such as data leak prevention, proactive blocking, discovery of at-risk data, configuration auditing and database user rights attestation.
Provide database audit capability without enabling resource-intensive native database logging and audit functions.
The webcast will also cover real-world case studies of enterprises that have implemented real-time database security and monitoring solutions to secure sensitive data and reduce compliance costs, with a meaningful ROI and typical payback period of less than 6 months.
Register now (limited availability).
Many of my international students probably know this already.
2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa: The Ultimate Guide To Digital Delight
… Sure, Mike Butcher over at TechCrunch Europe already posted a few pointers, and Nicholas Deleon from CrunchGear tried to compile an exhaustive list of websites, apps and podcasts as well.
But frankly, those guys are amateurs. I know you deserve better. So here goes.
(Related)
Kosmix Unleashes Its Realtime Tweetbeat On The World Cup
For my geeks
http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/softlogr-download-handpicked-free-software/
SoftLogr: Download Hand-Picked Free Software
(Related) ...as in, also geeky
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-10-professional-sample-code-websites-for-programmers/
Top 10 Professional Sample Code Websites For Programmers
How teaching has evolved...
http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/qlipboard-create-how-to-video/
QlipBoard: Create How To Videos Easily
Similar tools: CaptureFox, ShowMeWhatsWrong, Screenr and ScreenJelly.
This could be useful, but only when translated...
http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/bbc-documentaries-radio-documentaries-online/
BBC Documentaries: Download & Listen To 500 Free Radio Documentaries Online
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