About a week ago, I had commented on the theft of a laptop computer from St Charles Health System. A (what I assume to be) unencrypted but password-protected (factual) computer was stolen from an employee's car. As readers of this blog know, crypto solutions like AlertBoot's drive encryption software are the only way to tilt the odds of PHI remaining secure in the event of a computer theft. Well, the laptop computer was recovered. According to bendbulletin.com (via phiprivacy.net), The laptop was found in brush by an 8-year-old girl riding horseback near Horse Butte at the end of November. It was returned to the hospital by the family Dec. 16. Good news for Charlie. I guess they can write another 145 letters explaining the situation and relaying the good news to patients. I did a search on Google Maps, and it looks like the girl may have found the device near this place seeing how it involves an 8 year old (I'm assuming her horse (pony?) is not her own, or at least not kept at her house. A professional facility must be involved) and a place called Horse Butte.
About a week ago, I had commented on the theft of a laptop computer from St Charles Health System. A (what I assume to be) unencrypted but password-protected (factual) computer was stolen from an employee's car. As readers of this blog know, crypto solutions like AlertBoot's drive encryption software are the only way to tilt the odds of PHI remaining secure in the event of a computer theft.
Well, the laptop computer was recovered. According to bendbulletin.com (via phiprivacy.net),
The laptop was found in brush by an 8-year-old girl riding horseback near Horse Butte at the end of November. It was returned to the hospital by the family Dec. 16.
Good news for Charlie. I guess they can write another 145 letters explaining the situation and relaying the good news to patients.
I did a search on Google Maps, and it looks like the girl may have found the device near this place seeing how it involves an 8 year old (I'm assuming her horse (pony?) is not her own, or at least not kept at her house. A professional facility must be involved) and a place called Horse Butte.
Aside from the fact that a little girl found the computer in the bushes in the middle of nowhere, the conclusion to this saga is interesting in what did happen. First, password protection appears to have stopped an irrefutable data breach from occurring (as opposed to assuming it's a low-risk situation because there's no way to know whether data was accessed or not. Not a problem you get with the use of whole data encryption software). Well, kind of. The problem with not having adequate security allows so many unlikely scenarios to unfold. For example, what if the laptop was originally stolen by a data thief who made a bit-by-bit copy (called ghosting) of the computer's contents; left it on a public bench; was picked up by a less savvy person who tried to gain access to the computer; and left behind when the second "hacker" couldn't gain access to it? That could explain the forensic results. Certainly, it's a remote possibility. As remote as a hospital computer being found by an 8-year old who was gallivanting around on a horse. Second, here we have a scenario that, no matter what actually transpired, it cannot be refuted that this wasn't about hardware: a computer was stolen; an attempt to access it was made; and the device was tossed away when it wasn't possible to do so (or, at least, we believe the data wasn't accessed. Logs can be modified). The entire ordeal is patently bizarre: could this be the equivalent of a joyride? A computer is stolen because some kid wants to check his Facebook account, finds he can't get past the password, and dumps it because he can't take it home; and what does he care, it's not his computer. Would that cover what happened here? How does one protect against such a thing? Data-wise, you use encryption software. Hardware-wise...can't help you there. For starters, though, don't keep your laptop in an easy-to-steal place like your car.
Aside from the fact that a little girl found the computer in the bushes in the middle of nowhere, the conclusion to this saga is interesting in what did happen.
First, password protection appears to have stopped an irrefutable data breach from occurring (as opposed to assuming it's a low-risk situation because there's no way to know whether data was accessed or not. Not a problem you get with the use of whole data encryption software). Well, kind of.
The problem with not having adequate security allows so many unlikely scenarios to unfold. For example, what if the laptop was originally stolen by a data thief who made a bit-by-bit copy (called ghosting) of the computer's contents; left it on a public bench; was picked up by a less savvy person who tried to gain access to the computer; and left behind when the second "hacker" couldn't gain access to it? That could explain the forensic results.
Certainly, it's a remote possibility. As remote as a hospital computer being found by an 8-year old who was gallivanting around on a horse.
Second, here we have a scenario that, no matter what actually transpired, it cannot be refuted that this wasn't about hardware: a computer was stolen; an attempt to access it was made; and the device was tossed away when it wasn't possible to do so (or, at least, we believe the data wasn't accessed. Logs can be modified).
The entire ordeal is patently bizarre: could this be the equivalent of a joyride? A computer is stolen because some kid wants to check his Facebook account, finds he can't get past the password, and dumps it because he can't take it home; and what does he care, it's not his computer. Would that cover what happened here?
How does one protect against such a thing? Data-wise, you use encryption software. Hardware-wise...can't help you there. For starters, though, don't keep your laptop in an easy-to-steal place like your car.
Related Articles and Sites:http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111221/NEWS0107/112210393/1001/NEWS01&nav_category=NEWS01http://www.phiprivacy.net/?p=8670