Abbot Medical Optics (AMO) has alerted the NH Attorney General's office that they have a potential data breach on their hands. Three locked boxes containing backup tapes were stolen. "Security features" were present, but there is no specific discussion on whether data encryption software.
The backup tapes included data from human resources and consumer information departments, so, it only makes sense that employee names, addresses, and Social Security numbers were included. Also included was financial information such as bank and other financial numbers used for payroll. Foreigners may have been affected as well--the letter mentions "visa application information related to authorization to work in the US." The incident took place on December 29, 2009. Someone broke into one of AMO's facilities and took the three locked, metal boxes.
The backup tapes included data from human resources and consumer information departments, so, it only makes sense that employee names, addresses, and Social Security numbers were included. Also included was financial information such as bank and other financial numbers used for payroll.
Foreigners may have been affected as well--the letter mentions "visa application information related to authorization to work in the US."
The incident took place on December 29, 2009. Someone broke into one of AMO's facilities and took the three locked, metal boxes.
No doubt the metal boxes were meant to prevent unwanted people from getting physical access to the tapes--you know, in light of them containing personal information and what not. And, I'm willing to bet that the locked box was stored in a locked room. And the end result...? Someone breaks in and steal the tapes, locked boxes and all! So much for preventing a data breach. Now, while there are hardly any other options for securing physical things, aside from locking stuff up, one can hardly claim the same for digital media. When it comes to information stored on backup tapes, external drives, servers, and the like, there are two ways of securing data. One is locking stuff down or locking them up: closets, bolts to the floor, locks, etc. This prevents a data breach by ensuring a device does not get stolen. The other is the use of data encryption software like AlertBoot. While it can't prevent someone from actually lifting a backup tape or external drive, it makes it virtually impossible to access the information in the event something is stolen.
No doubt the metal boxes were meant to prevent unwanted people from getting physical access to the tapes--you know, in light of them containing personal information and what not. And, I'm willing to bet that the locked box was stored in a locked room.
And the end result...? Someone breaks in and steal the tapes, locked boxes and all! So much for preventing a data breach.
Now, while there are hardly any other options for securing physical things, aside from locking stuff up, one can hardly claim the same for digital media.
When it comes to information stored on backup tapes, external drives, servers, and the like, there are two ways of securing data. One is locking stuff down or locking them up: closets, bolts to the floor, locks, etc. This prevents a data breach by ensuring a device does not get stolen.
The other is the use of data encryption software like AlertBoot. While it can't prevent someone from actually lifting a backup tape or external drive, it makes it virtually impossible to access the information in the event something is stolen.
Related Articles and Sites:http://doj.nh.gov/consumer/pdf/abbott_medical_optics.pdf