NY: Social Security loses a CD with personal info

[kirniki <kirniki () gmail com>]

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20407903&BRD=2731&PAG=461&dept_id=575596&rfi=6

A computer disc containing detailed personal information about 969 New
Yorkers was lost by a Social Security Administration employee
traveling to Queens from the Bronx back in late October.
   Three months later, on Jan. 22, the agency sent out letters to
those people, explaining the situation and assuring them that
officials have not seen any questionable activity that would lead them
to believe anyone had found the disc and engaged in identity theft.

   The Queens Chronicle learned of the situation last Friday, when a
copy of the letter was faxed to the paper’s office. Social Security
spokesman John Shallman immediately confirmed its authenticity. The
letter was signed by Regional Chief Administrative Law Judge Mark
Sochaczewsky.
   “We apologize for any inconvenience or concern this incident may
cause you,” Sochaczewsky said.
   The agency said it had reviewed the records of all 969 people “and
found no inappropriate activity.” It also contracted with the credit
monitoring agency Experian to offer each person up to three years of
credit monitoring activity at no charge.

[..]
  The disc was lost as the employee was going to the Queens Social
Security hearing office, and the information on it included
administrative decisions, medical evidence and internal agency
documents containing the people’s names and Social Security numbers.
_______________________________________________
Dataloss-discuss Mailing List (dataloss-discuss () datalossdb org)
Archived at http://seclists.org/dataloss/

Get business, compliance, IT and security staff on the same page with
CREDANT Technologies: The Shortcut Guide to Understanding Data Protection
from Four Critical Perspectives. The eBook begins with considerations
important to executives and business leaders.
http://www.credant.com/campaigns/ebook-chpt-one-web.php