http://www.pogowasright.org/?p=10300
Class action lawsuit over Google wi-fi data collection filed
May 19, 2010 by Dissent
Karina Brown reports on what is likely to be only one of many lawsuits filed over Google’s revelation that it inadvertently collected personal information during its Street View operations:
In Portland, lead plaintiff Vicki Van Valin claims Google operates vehicles mounted with “wireless sniffers” that decode Wi-Fi data. She claims Google captured and decoded her Social Security number, banking information, medical records and other personal information, then stored the data on servers where “hundreds if not thousands” of Google employees could see it.
Read more on Courthouse News.
A copy of the complaint can be found here.
It seems that the plaintiffs claim that because they use an open wi-fi network, and because they transmit personal and sensitive information over it, and because Google has been on their street, then their personal information has been available, without their consent, to “hundreds of thousands” of Google employees.
A German court recently held that wi-fi users had an obligation to secure their network. We have no such law here, but I would pose this to the privacy law scholars who read this site: does a wi-fi user have a reasonable expectation of privacy if they do not secure their wi-fi network? [The term should be “Delusion of Privacy” Bob]
Some schools give Freshmen iPads, Berkeley gives DNA testing? I knew Berkeley was weird crazy different, but I don't get this at all...
http://www.pogowasright.org/?p=10293
UC Berkeley Asking Incoming Students For DNA
May 19, 2010 by Dissent
UC Berkeley is adding something a little different this year in its welcome package — cotton swabs for a DNA sample.
In the past, incoming freshman and transfer students have received a rather typical welcome book from the College of Letters and Science’s “On the Same Page” program, but this year the students will be asked for more.
The students will be asked to voluntarily submit a DNA sample. The cotton swabs will come with two bar code labels. One label will be put on the DNA sample and the other is kept for the students own records.
The confidential process is being overseen by Jasper Rine, a campus professor of Genetics and Development Biology, who says the test results will help students make decisions about their diet and lifestyle.
Read more on KTVU.
[From the article:
The results of the test will be put in a secure online database where students will be able to retrieve their results by using their bar code.
Rine hopes that this will excite students to be more hands-on with their college experience. [I must admit, I don't understand that connection... Bob]
… There will also be a science-themed art contest that will award the four best entries with a full genetic analysis. [Don't get that either... Bob]
How many of my Computer Security students match this profile?
http://www.databreaches.net/?p=11709
Four Kids From South Florida Led the World’s Biggest Online Identity Heist
May 18, 2010 by admin
For those who are interested in the backgrounds and psychological aspects of hackers, Tim Elfrink has an article in the Broward – Palm Beach New Times on Albert Gonzalez, Jonathan James, Christopher Scott, Stephen Watt, names recognizable for their roles in the massive credit card number hacks that became cautionary tales.
Local and unreported to the State
http://www.phiprivacy.net/?p=2749
VA breaches more numerous than we knew
By Dissent, May 18, 2010 12:02 pm
Miami VA Healthcare System wasn’t the only VA center that experienced a breach involving paper records containing protected health information on January 19 of this year. According to OCR’s web site, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System also experienced a breach involving paper records:
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
State: Colorado
Approx. # of Individuals Affected: 649
Date of Breach: 1/19/10
Type of Breach: Improper Disposal
Location of Breached Information: Paper Records
These breach revelations, not reported in the media, and relatively small by some standards, come on the heels of other recent breaches involving the VA, some of which have gained Congress’s attention.
There are still a few procedural changes to be made before data is “secure”
http://www.phiprivacy.net/?p=2747
P2P networks a treasure trove of leaked health care data, study finds
By Dissent, May 18, 2010 8:31 am
Jaikumar Vijayan reports:
Nearly eight months after new rules were enacted requiring stronger protection of health care information, organizations are still leaking such data on file-sharing networks, a study by Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business has found.
In a research paper to be presented at an IEEE security symposium Tuesday, a Dartmouth College professor Eric Johnson will describe how university researchers discovered thousands of documents containing sensitive patient information on popular peer-to-peer (P2P) networks.
One of the more than 3,000 files discovered by the researchers was a spreadsheet containing insurance details, personally identifying information, physician names and diagnosis codes on more than 28,000 individuals. Another document contained similar data on more than 7,000 individuals. Many of the documents contained sensitive patient communications, treatment data, medical diagnoses and psychiatric evaluations. At least five files contained enough information to be classified as a major breach under current health-care breach notification rules.
Read more on Computerworld.
A new target for hackers? How many Social Security checks does it take to retire comfortably in Brazil?
http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/024286.html
May 18, 2010
Broad New Treasury Initiative to Increase Electronic Transactions, Save More Than $400 Million, 12 Million Pounds of Paper in First Five 5 Years
News release: "With Americans poised to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day this week, the U.S. Department of the Treasury today announced a broad new initiative to dramatically increase the number of electronic transactions that involve Treasury and millions of citizens and businesses, a move that is expected to save more than $400 million and 12 million pounds of paper in the first five years alone. In addition to greatly reducing costs, enhancing customer service and minimizing Treasury's environmental impact, the move from paper to electronic transactions will increase reliability, safety and security for benefit recipients and taxpayers... Treasury will require individuals receiving Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Veterans, Railroad Retirement and Office of Personnel Management benefits to receive payments electronically. Individuals will be able to receive benefits either through direct deposit into a bank account or Treasury's Direct Express debit card."
Like many PhD candidates, he has a firm grasp of the obvious.
http://www.pogowasright.org/?p=10284
Privacy expert: It’s good PR to say no to the government
May 18, 2010 by Dissent
Nancy Gohring reports:
A leading privacy researcher is urging companies to say no to government requests for data, arguing that it’s good for business.
“Or rather, saying yes can be really bad for business,” said Chris Soghoian, an Indiana University PhD candidate and security and privacy researcher.
Speaking on Monday at a Law Seminars International event in Seattle, Soghoian offered companies tips for handling law enforcement requests for data.
Consumers do care about their privacy and their reaction to news about companies that too willingly help the government access their data — or resist such requests — proves it, he said.
Smart lawyering or evil lawyering?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20005331-261.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
Did EFF lawyer cross line in LimeWire case?
by Greg Sandoval May 18, 2010 5:12 PM PDT
The lawyers who do most of the jousting over Internet copyright issues were abuzz last week after learning that a federal court judge suggested one of the more prominent among them had advised clients to destroy evidence.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Court Judge Kimba Wood issued a 59-page decision in Manhattan granting summary judgment in favor of the Recording Industry Association of America in its long-running copyright fight against file-sharing service LimeWire. The order opened the door for the top four record companies to force a closure of the service.
In addressing an issue of whether statements made by a former LimeWire executive should be considered by the court, Wood called out Fred von Lohmann, the much-quoted senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, an advocacy group that fights for the rights of Internet users and technology companies. According to Wood, LimeWire founder Mark Gorton testified that he and former company Chief Technology Officer Greg Bildson received questionable advice from von Lohmann.
Something for Lawyers and whistle blowers...
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/scrub-metadata-worddocuments-windows/
How To Scrub Metadata From Word Documents [Windows]
The process you can use to scrub that personal metadata from Word documents is quite simple. It involves downloading and installing a free program called “Doc Scrubber.”
… Check out Karl’s article about scrubbing metadata from photos.
An amusing look at software licenses...
http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/61402
I could license you to use this software, but then I’d have to kill you
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-ways-recover-serial-numbers-windows/
3 Ways To Recover Serial Numbers In Windows
Having to re-install your Windows operating system is nothing unheard of. Unfortunately, it has to be done at regular intervals. Before you start however, not only make sure all your data is backed up, but also that you have all the serial numbers of programs you would like to reinstall.
Something for everyone on Facebook? (and it's FREE)
New tool will check privacy settings on Facebook
… As it is now, Privacy Scanner will check your account’s Instant Personalization settings, which allows Facebook partners to customize their sites based on your public information. In addition to that check, it will also look at personal information, contact information, the information that friends can share about you, as well as the settings within friends, tags, and connections.
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