When will they ever learn...

http://www.phiprivacy.net/?p=509

Jun-30-2008

UK: Patient files stolen with laptop

A laptop containing the personal details of several thousand patients has been stolen from the car of a senior hospital manager, who is now suspended.

A patient told the BBC he received a letter saying the computer was taken on 18 June in Scotland from the car of a Colchester University Hospital manager.

The unencrypted details included names, dates of birth, postcodes and treatment plans.

Full story - BBC

Related, with some info on what universities are doing...

http://www.pogowasright.org/article.php?story=20080630062923920

Increase in Stolen Laptops Endangers Data Security

Monday, June 30 2008 @ 06:29 AM EDT Contributed by: PrivacyNews

Patrick A. Grant was stolen in April. A thief walked away with a laptop containing the University of Virginia biochemist's name and Social Security number, as well as those of more than 7,000 other professors, staff members, and students. The machine belonged to a university employee who had taken it off campus — and then it was simply taken.

Source - Chronicle of Higher Education

[From the article:

The next month, Mr. Grant discovered that criminals had amassed at least $22,000 in debt under his name.

Mr. Grant believes the laptop theft, or a series of campus computer-hacking incidents years ago, led to his victimization.

"My suspicions lie with" both, he says, adding that he knows of no other circumstances in which his confidential data were exposed. [but not everyone complies with the data breach laws... Bob]

...because...

http://www.pogowasright.org/article.php?story=20080630062522507

Data “Dysprotection:” breaches reported last week

Monday, June 30 2008 @ 06:40 AM EDT Contributed by: PrivacyNews

A recap of incidents or privacy breaches reported last week for those who enjoy shaking their head and muttering to themselves with their morning coffee.

Source - Chronicles of Dissent

If you haven't seen it on HBO, it is worth a look.

http://digg.com/politics/HBO_Film_Hacking_Democracy_Deibold_Global_Voting_Solutions

HBO Film: Hacking Democracy Deibold/Global Voting Solutions watch!

freedocumentaries.org — How can we have a democracy if we cannot secure our voting system? This full length movie examines how we count our votes. They found that it is a very corrupt innacurate system that allows a corrupt system to continue to run. Al Gore in 2002 was defeated but they uncovered a rigging of the system & was not due to machine failure. Negative votes...

http://freedocumentaries.org/theatre.php?filmid=234&id=1157&wh=1000x720

Surprised?

http://www.pogowasright.org/article.php?story=20080630062101518

Unisys Security Index Reveals Identity Theft and Financial Fraud Remain Top Global Concerns for Consumers

Monday, June 30 2008 @ 06:21 AM EDT Contributed by: PrivacyNews

Fears about identity theft and financial fraud are top global concerns for consumers, according to the latest results of the Unisys Security Index. Identity theft is the primary security concern cited among respondents in nine out of 14 countries, while misuse of credit or debit card information ranks as the first or second greatest fear in 12 out of the 14 countries.

Source - Earth Times , press release

[From the article:

French consumers are least concerned worldwide, with fears at or near the lowest level of concern in all four areas. France’s score as a whole is a mere 76.

[The index is at: http://www.unisyssecurityindex.com/

Security – an historical perspective (Actually make some good points)

http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/63562.html

Cyber-Security Lessons From the 15th Century

By Brian Chess and Taylor McKinley E-Commerce Times Part of the ECT News Network 06/30/08 4:00 AM PT

Three lessons from the days of knights and castles still apply:

1. Design with security in mind, and make sure your construction techniques don't compromise your design.

2. Building right is not enough. Active security defenses are a must.

3. The job never ends. Staying secure means continual evolution.

“Hey kids! Have we got a deal for you!” (Isn't this “encouraging crime?”)

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9979488-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5

June 30, 2008 4:00 AM PDT

Get a ticket, get a free gadget

Posted by Holly Jackson 1 comment

Break the law, get a free headset?

It might sound a little odd, but online retailer Headsets.com has decided to make that idea the focus of a new marketing and educational campaign related to the new hands-free legislation that takes hold Tuesday in California and Washington.

In effect, if you get ticketed for talking on your cell phone without a headset while driving, pony up the $20 or $50 (depending on how many times you've been caught), then send documentation of your offense to Headsets.com.

The most surprising part? You'll be making a hefty profit by breaking the law. According to CEO Mike Faith, Headsets.com will, for a limited time at least, give away the Plantronics Discovery 925, which retails at $149.99.

Easy to see how this will be abused -- “Dude, my blood alcohol level is higher than yours!”

http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/63605.html?welcome=1214830426

How Drunk Are You? Just Ask Your iPod

By Donald Baker MacNewsWorld Part of the ECT News Network 06/30/08 4:00 AM PT

... The iBreath can actually be used as a portable breathalyzer test. Blowing into the attached tube is all that is required to get a measurement of your blood alcohol content (BAC) within seconds.

The device apparently measures accurately to within 0.01 percent BAC with a maximum limit of 0.12.

“Surprise, surprise, surprise!” G. Pyle

http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/06/30/0043232&from=rss

Your Online Profile Actually Tells a Lot About You

Posted by timothy on Sunday June 29, @09:43PM from the explains-my-dating-life dept. The Internet Science

An anonymous reader writes

"Despite all the media reports that your Facebook profile is giving the wrong impression, a psychological study shows people really can understand your personality from your online profile. Turns out you're not giving the wrong impression with your profile; you're giving the right impression to the wrong people. You can actually learn more about someone's Agreeableness from their online profile than from a first date."

Something tells me facial recognition isn't quite perfected. Remind me to get a Richard Nixon mask so the cameras can tell “I am not a crook!”

http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/06/29/1745256&from=rss

Magazine Photos Fool Age-verification Cameras

Posted by timothy on Sunday June 29, @02:11PM from the porn-magazine-photos-doubly-so dept. Security Technology

gregor-e writes

"Japan has scheduled a full-scale rollout of visual age-verification on cigarette vending machines. Unfortunately for them, a Sankei Sports news reporter has determined that this system can be fooled by holding up a magazine photo of an adult."

We have the technology (watch the video) now all we need to do is convince King Soopers that they need this...

http://digg.com/tech_news/How_you_will_shop_in_the_Supermarket_of_the_future_

How you will shop in the "Supermarket of the future" watch!

news.bbc.co.uk — A German supermarket is encouraging customers to scan and ring up their shopping using mobile phones, and check out without the help of a cashier. It is one of the number of innovations at the new "Future Store" - as Steve Rosenberg discovered when he went along to do his weekly shopping.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7476672.stm

Ah yes, just as the Founding Fathers intended...

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/06/30/0451242&from=rss

Tech Giants Pooling Cash To Buy Patents

Posted by timothy on Monday June 30, @07:28AM from the oh-wsj-you-tease dept. Patents Businesses The Almighty Buck

theodp writes with a link to a Reuters report, based on a WSJ story, that

"Verizon, Google, Cisco, and HP are among the companies that have joined a secretive group called the Allied Security Trust. Each of the companies will reportedly put $5 million in escrow to allow AST to snap up intellectual property on their behalf before it falls into the hands of parties that could use it against them. Patents will be resold after AST member companies have granted themselves a nonexclusive license to the underlying technology. According to AST CEO Brian Hinman, a former VP of IP and Licensing at IBM, the arrangement will keep member companies out of antitrust trouble."

(The WSJ's story itself is more detailed, but it's subscriber-only.)

Automating politics

http://www.pogowasright.org/article.php?story=20080630061607349

Se: Snoop law politicians in email storm

Monday, June 30 2008 @ 06:16 AM EDT Contributed by: PrivacyNews

Members of parliament who either abstained from voting or voted in favour of Sweden's divisive new eavesdropping law had received a total of almost half a million protest emails by Sunday evening.

The MPs began receiving an a avalanche of emails after newspaper Expressen published a protest form on its website for readers to fill in.

Source - The Local

[From the article:

Once completed, the forms are automatically forwarded to all parliamentarians who supported the new law or failed to turn up in parliament for the vote.

Former Justice Minister Thomas Bodström told Expressen that there was "more action in the parliament than there has been for ten years".

I'm sure I've seen other sites like this, but it never hurts to have options...

http://www.universityreaders.com/

University Readers

We make it easy to prepare and use custom course materials - digital and print - at a savings your students will love.

Course Packs You choose the content, we clear the copyrights, print, and deliver.

Custom Textbooks Transform your course materials for large classes into a professional book.

Original Works Publish and distribute an original textbook with ISBN and 20% royalties.

Another anniversary of note

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/06/29/222251&from=rss

40 Years After Carterphone Ended AT&T Equipment Monopoly

Posted by timothy on Sunday June 29, @06:54PM from the decision-rings-true dept. Communications

fm6 writes

"Wednesday was the 40th anniversary of the Carterfone Decision which brought to an end AT&T's monopoly on telephone terminal equipment. Ars Technica has an opinionated but informative backgrounder on this landmark, which pretty much created the telecommunications world as we currently know it."