They thought something was wrong, but didn't bother to find out what!

http://www.komu.com/satellite/SatelliteRender/KOMU.com/dd7b5a56-c0a8-2f11-0160-892d5f947562/6d96d03f-c0a8-2f11-01c0-31e6da0c697c

Hacker Hits UM System

COLUMBIA - A computer hacker hit the university of Missouri. Now more than 22,000 people are at risk for identity theft. The university noticed a problem on Thursday of last week, but thought it was just related to repairs.

MU police got the FBI involved on Monday and its investigation is underway because names and social security numbers have been stolen. The university sent out a mass email Tuesday morning warning as many people as possible.

The people at risk: Anyone who worked for the UM system in 2004, and also anyone who is a current or former student of the Columbia campus.

So is this an "open and shut" case?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/08/AR2007050801541.html

Union Sues TSA Over Personal Data Loss

By MICHAEL J. SNIFFEN The Associated Press Tuesday, May 8, 2007; 6:14 PM

WASHINGTON -- Airport security screeners filed suit Tuesday to expand the Transportation Security Administration's response to its loss of Social Security numbers, bank data and payroll information for about 100,000 employees.

If the data, which was contained on a lost computer hard drive, "were to fall into the wrong hands, false identity badges easily could be created in order to gain access to secure areas," said John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees.

"A Department of Homeland Security agency that cannot even shield its own employee data is not reassuring." [.and no doubt that is exactly how the media will play it. Bob]

... The lawsuit asked the court to order TSA to take new security measures consistent with those laws, including encrypting personnel data and installing electronic monitoring on any mobile equipment that stores personnel information.
... The lawsuit asked the court to order TSA to grant administrative leave, without penalty, to any screeners who need time off to protect against or correct any identity theft or financial disruption. Finally, the suit sought reimbursement for any financial losses workers might suffer.

For shame!

http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_050807WABskagitcomputerKC.4dcb892a.html

Burglary leaves thousands at risk for ID theft

07:07 PM PDT on Tuesday, May 8, 2007 By ROB PIERCY / KING 5 News

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. – A burglary in Skagit County may have left as many as 3,000 people at risk for identity theft.

In February, someone stole a laptop computer from the Washington State Auditor's Office [As an Auditor, I find this shameful! Bob] in Mount Vernon. That computer contained names, addresses and social security numbers of workers at several local government agencies – everyone from Mount Vernon police officers to teachers at Skagit Valley College – and many of those workers are just now finding out.

... "The letter said that this laptop had been stolen February 1 and we are just now being notified three months later," she said.

... According to Mount Vernon Police, they did not ask the state auditor's office to withhold this information. In fact, police say they didn't even know what was contained on that computer until police officers themselves started receiving a copy of this letter.

Never mark the package “Hand Deliver” someone might have to actually, you know... work!

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4787322.html

State employee blamed for mishandling records

Sensitive data was put in wrong bin, an official says

By JANET ELLIOTT May 8, 2007, 10:54PM

Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN — A state employee, not a courier service, misplaced a box of computer tapes containing sensitive personal data for 1.1 million Medicaid clients, a state official said Tuesday.

A spokeswoman for the Health and Human Services Commission clarified the scenario that occurred as the box of tapes was being transferred last month.

After a courier dropped off the shipment at a state office building, a mailroom employee put the box in the wrong bin, Stephanie Goodman said. It remained there for two weeks [because if anyone picked up their mail, they might have to start working! Bob] before it was found and delivered to the vendor Friday; the state was notified Monday that the tapes had been found.

... HHSC and the lead contractor for the partnership, Affiliated Computer Services, are reviewing their procedures to ensure that shipments can be logged and tracked. They also are studying whether the data could be transmitted electronically to enhance security. [Yes. Next question? Bob]

Privacy?

http://www.helenair.com/articles/2007/05/09/ap-state-mt/d8p0h2900.txt

Supreme Court says newspaper can see student punishment records

By MATT GOURAS

HELENA, Mont. - The state Supreme Court says a newspaper has the right to see documents dealing with the punishment given to Cut Bank High School students involved in a BB gun shooting.

A reaction/technique likely to spread...

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/05/08/2257224&from=rss

Spy Chief Hints At Limits On Satellite Photos

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday May 08, @10:22PM from the don't-look-there dept. Censorship United States

An anonymous reader writes "Vice Adm. Robert Murrett, director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, says that the increasing availability of commercial satellite photos may require the government to restrict distribution. 'I could certainly foresee circumstances in which we would not want imagery to be openly disseminated of a sensitive site of any type, whether it is here or overseas,' he said. This would include imagery on Web sites such as Google Earth, because the companies that supply the photos get help from the NGIA with launches." I had never heard of this particular intelligence agency. During the early months of the invasion of Afghanistan they bought up all satellite imagery over that country, worldwide, in a tactic later dubbed "checkbook shutter control."

Perhaps we should limit Google searching?

http://news.com.com/2100-1030_3-6182333.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-5&subj=news

Police blotter: Fired government aide sues over Googling

By Declan McCullagh Story last modified Wed May 09 04:11:01 PDT 2007

What: Government worker claims a department official violated his "right to fundamental fairness" by using Google to research his prior work history in dispute over misuse of government property.

When: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit rules on May 4.

Outcome: Unanimous three-judge panel says no harm was done by using search engine.

What happened, according to court documents:

We've known for years that jurors and judges occasionally use search engines, sometimes in ways that raise novel ethical and legal issues. But how about Googling by an employer?

... Excerpts from the appeals court's opinion:

No ex-parte communication occurred when the Deciding Official, Ms. Capell, discovered for herself that "in 1996, the Department of the Air Force removed the appellant from a civil service position and that in 1997, the Smithsonian Institution told (Mr. Mullins) to 'look for a new job.'" Indeed, the only "communication" that occurred was when Mr. Mullins communicated with Ms. Capell to bring to her attention the negative information about himself "by suggesting he had been subject to Board proceedings before."

Attention Class Action Lawyers!

http://techdirt.com/articles/20070507/125732.shtml

AT&T Charging Eight Minutes For One Minute Call; Blames Regulations That Don't Appear To Exist

from the wouldn't-it-be-nice... dept

It really would be nice to have a day go by when we don't hear about yet another attempt by telcos to rip people off, usually either by exploiting some bad regulation or simply pretending that the fee is required by regulations. Falling into the latter camp is a story Broadband Reports points us to. It appears that in a few states, including Missouri, AT&T is charging phone card users 8 minutes of time for every 1 minute used for in-state calling. The company claims this is due to FCC regulations -- though the FCC responds that "Calling cards aren't regulated. Period." Oops. That last link shows a state-by-state list of what multiple is used for in-state calls. The only places where you get a 1 to 1 conversion are Washington DC, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and the US Virgin Islands. Everywhere else, and you're being charged three, five or eight minutes for every minute used.

Interesting... (I'm drafting a patent on B-flat – that'll fix it)

http://techdirt.com/articles/20070507/131704.shtml

Club Owner Has To Pay $40,000 Because A Cover Band Played 10 Songs

from the yikes dept

In the past, we've covered some of the ridiculous claims that come out when ASCAP goes around suing restaurants, bars and clubs for performing music without securing a license first. The idea that having music playing in a restaurant without a license somehow causes "irreparable injury," seems ridiculous. If anything, having songs played in public places where people can hear them is likely to get those songs more attention, providing more opportunities to make money for the musicians behind the song. In the latest twist on this theme, Stephen writes in to let us know that the former owner of a night club in Vail, Colorado has agreed to pay $40,000 because a cover band performed 10 cover songs at his club, without him paying the required ASCAP fees. Note that the band itself didn't have to pay anything. The thing is, he got off cheap. ASCAP could have tried to charge him up to $30,000 per song. Again, it's unclear how this benefits anyone (other than some lawyers). All it does is make it a lot less likely that venues will want to play songs licensed via ASCAP. It's short-term thinking that destroys long-term value.

Two from e-Discovery Team...

http://ralphlosey.wordpress.com/

The Admissability of Electronic Evidence

May 8th, 2007

Judge Paul Grimm has written a scholarly treatise on the admissibility of ESI, which is cleverly disguised as a district court opinion denying cross motions for summary judgment. Lorraine v. Markel American Ins. Co., 2007 WL 1300739 (D. Md. May 4, 2007).

Nonchalant Review Causes Attorney Client Privilege Waiver

May 6th, 2007

Legal counsel’s “nonchalant review” of electronic records acted to waive the attorney client privilege as to four inadvertently disclosed emails.

Nothing special about the device (Microcenter offers a 2GB thumb drive for $14.95), but some quotes are interesting.

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2127370,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03119TX1K0000594

New Laptop Data Protection Comes in a USB Flash Card

By Chris Preimesberger May 8, 2007

Rover Technology Fusions, a small data security provider, based in Tampa, Fla., introduced on May 7 a new data backup product for laptops and notebooks that uses solid-state Flash memory and IBM's Tivoli Continuous Data Protection for Files software.

... Various IT researchers report that about 60 to 70 percent of corporate data resides on mobile workstations and laptops that are not typically part of routine enterprise-wide backup solutions.

,,, A 2006 Forrester Research study found that 31 percent of all computer users have lost all their files due to events beyond their control, the spokesperson said.