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VT: State computer hacked, thousands at risk
From: "Dissent" <Dissent () pogowasright org>
Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2007 18:50:48 -0500 (EST)
http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=6006557&nav=4QcS A state computer containing the names, Social Security Numbers and bank account information for 70,000 Vermonters has been hacked into in an automated computer attack that puts their personal information at risk for misuse, the state revealed Monday. Human Services Secretary Cynthia LaWare said there is no indication the information has been used illicitly, but she said it was possible. The state is planning to send letters to the affected individuals Tuesday and Wednesday urging them to monitor their bank accounts. It is also offering to pay for credit monitoring. The Human Services computer was used as a tool to track non-custodial parents who owe back child support. The state and a number of banks exchanged financial information on the computer, which was taken out of service in early December after technicians discovered what they thought was a computer virus. It remains offline, officials said. About 12,000 of the affected individuals owed back child support. The rest of the names _ about 58,800 people _ were supplied to the state by the New England Federal Credit Union, which shared customer information with the understanding that only the data on child support debtors would be used. New England Federal CEO David Bard said his organization provided the extra names on two occassions, once in 2004 and once in 2005. The 58,800 names represented almost the entire membership of the Williston-based credit union, Bard said. [...] -- Privacy-related news and resources: http://www.pogowasright.org Privacy news headlines feed: http://www.pogowasright.org/backend/pogowasright.rss _______________________________________________ Dataloss Mailing List (dataloss () attrition org) http://attrition.org/dataloss Tracking more than 146 million compromised records in 550 incidents over 7 years.
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- VT: State computer hacked, thousands at risk Dissent (Jan 29)