IP: More Online Security Woes For FBI's Data Firm

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 15:46:20 -0500
> To: dave () farber net
> From: Brian McWilliams <brian () pc-radio com>
> Subject: More Online Security Woes For FBI's Data Firm
>
> http://www.newsbytes.com/news/02/174003.html
>
> More Online Security Woes For FBI's Data Firm
> ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA, U.S.A.,
> 28 Jan 2002, 2:29 PM CST
>
> A week after plugging a severe security hole at its main Web site, 
> database firm ChoicePoint has been stung with the discovery of major 
> vulnerabilities at another of its Internet properties.
>
> According to security experts, the latest flaw potentially enabled remote 
> attackers to take complete control of The LienGuard System, a ChoicePoint 
> service for banks and other customers in the financial services industry.
>
> ChoicePoint, which had year 2000 sales of $593.5 million, provides 
> information about individuals and companies to the FBI, Department of 
> Justice, insurance firms and other clients, according to its Web site.
>
> [...]
>
> The report of new Internet security flaws at ChoicePoint follows the 
> discovery last week by Kitetoa of a security vulnerability at the data 
> firm's main Web site, Choicepoint.net. That flaw in ChoicePoint's 
> configuration of the Lotus Domino Web server enabled unauthorized 
> intruders to view internal company documents such as marketing reports and 
> work-in-progress reports.
>
> [...]
>
> According to a spokesperson for the Electronic Privacy Information Center 
> (EPIC), the recent security flaws at ChoicePoint illustrate the security 
> risks of having "profilers" like ChoicePoint maintain sensitive data on 
> behalf of the government.
>
> "The risks to personal privacy include not only illegal or inappropriate 
> employee access to the information, but also outsiders who wish to collect 
> profiling information," said Chris Hoofnagle, EPIC legislative counsel.
>
> [snip]

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