Computer tapes missing for 2 weeks

[Henry Brown <hbrown () knology net>]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4783956.html

Vendor misplaces tapes with sensitive state data

AUSTIN — Computer tapes from a state agency that contain millions of 
records with sensitive personal data, including Social Security numbers 
and wages, were missing for more than two weeks before being found 
Monday by a private vendor.

The 14 missing tapes contain employment information that is used to 
verify Medicaid claims to ensure that the clients aren't covered by 
private insurance.

While the information was not compromised, the episode exposed serious 
flaws in the way contractors handle the data. Officials with the Health 
and Human Services Commission weren't notified that the records were 
missing for more than a week after the box should have arrived at the 
vendor's office.

State officials promised to institute new procedures, including a way to 
track shipments handled by couriers.

"We want to be able to track those records at every point in the 
process," said Stephanie Goodman, an HHSC spokeswoman.

The data was not encrypted, but Goodman said it would have been 
extremely difficult for someone to access the 9 million records on the 
tapes without appropriate knowledge of the computer code. Goodman said 
she did not know exactly how many Social Security numbers are in the 
records.


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