Equifax: Laptop With Employee Data Stolen

June 20, 2006, 10:13AM
Equifax: Laptop With Employee Data Stolen


By HARRY R. WEBER AP Business Writer
© 2006 The Associated Press

ATLANTA — Equifax Inc., one of the nation's three major credit bureaus, said Tuesday a company laptop containing employee names and Social Security numbers was stolen from an employee who was traveling by train near London.

The theft, which could affect as many as 2,500 of the Atlanta-based company's 4,600 employees, happened May 29 and all employees were notified June 7, spokesman David Rubinger said.

Employee names and partial and full Social Security numbers were on the computer's hard drive, though Rubinger said it would be almost impossible for the thief to decipher the information because it was streamed together.

"It would be very difficult to link this information and determine they were actual Social Security numbers in the first place," he said.


http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/business/3985861.html

What is really going on with all these "sudden" stolen data? Something is up?

If they really need to access them off-site, why don't they use a VPN?

Virtual private networks, for you low-tech types, allow to you to access your computer at work through a laptop no matter where it is. You log on and off as usual and you don't have to copy data onto the laptop's local hard drive. That way, data can't be stolen unless you're logged on, and if you steal the laptop, all you GET is the laptop--not the data.

:headbang:
rocknation

Wouldn't they want to use "live" and current data anyway for whatever they're doing with it? All I can think of is that maybe the person who lost their laptop was a software engineer and he/she had a local copy of a database that he/she was using to test stuff on.

are not always a valid option.

In at least some situations, the options are to carry a laptop with data, print out and carry hard copies, or to not have access to the data -- which could lead to worse consequences than identity theft.

That said, their are resonable saftey precautions (disk encryption) which can prevent any disclosure. Anyone who takes data out of the office (on a laptop, USB thumb drive, etc) should be using it.

Almost too coincidental, don't you think?

one's co-workers or one's customers.

the sudden increase in stolen data. or sold data, perhaps?

the American people back a national I.D. program. Its obvious anyone can get a social security i.d.

Soon, I think Congress will say that too many people have had their data compromised that we are forced now to establish a National ID.

http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/ChronDataBreaches.htm


88,348,579 of us have had our personal information compromised.


Coincidence? Random? I think not.

The people like you and me just trying to make ends meet take it in the shorts--the guys who should get it stuck in and broke off never do.

...military soldiers, government employees, now Equifax data base?!!

That's identity theft, which I believe will be used for two pruposes (I do NOT doubt by WHO):

to (1) use those stolen I.D.'s to re-shape upcoming election results;
(2) and most importantly, STEAL directly from these people's bank accunts, assets and savings (ala Neil Shrub and S&L Scandal of the 80's. In fact, it has the smelll of someone similar or close to him quite strongly.)

This is the white-collar crime de la creme of 2006, identity theft for stealing money directly from stolen identity bank accounts, and to USE those stolen I.D.s to "fix" future Repug elections. Only way they stand a chance of winning (even WITH "fixed" machines), and they know it.

This suddent wide-spread big-time Identity Theft is no small circle of thieves. And it IS indeed troublesome.

This sudden wide-spread big-time identity theft is no small circle of thieves.
I don't think for one second that this is the work of electronic equivalent of a street gang, or even a crime syndicate. They know what's on the laptops, and they know the data's not encrypted, and they know where the laptops are. Yes indeed, it's being done for a reason. I just hope that it's not some kind of black-ops NSA workaround.

:headbang:
rocknation

Why isn't the data encrypted before it is physically transported outside of a secure facility?

What is their punishment for being so cavalier with the information?

People who have suffered identity theft have sometimes taken years to get things straightened out. (Through no fault of their own.)

What happens to companies like Equifax? What penalties?

Furthermore, if Equifax can't keep their own employees' information secure, what are they doing with ours?

but I wonder how difficult that is.

Information collecting companies ought to be held to standards, and compelled to keep information secure.

identity theft, specific damages, and that equifax was responsible.

to restore their credit rating, is probably doing a little "Happy Dance."

There are 300 million Americans. At least 1/3 of adults have had information stolen.

Think about that.

Note:

http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/ChronDataBreaches.htm

Of the 300 million, some are merely infants, so have no information to be stolen.*

So, 88,348,579 as of June 16th, out of less than 300 million are victims of information theft.

*I realize that many infants have social security numbers.

:hi: