Equifax: Laptop With Employee Data Stolen

Chron ^ | June 20, 2006, 10:13AM | HARRY R. WEBER

[6SJ7]

Employee names and partial and full Social Security numbers were on the computer's hard drive, though Rubinger said it would be almost impossible for the thief to decipher the information because it was streamed together.

Oh. OK. We now have an encryption method called 'streamed together'. Yup, that'll work! /sarc

[stuartcr]

It seems that it would be pretty expensive, unless everyone was issued something like a CAC or smart card instead of a SS card, but I doubt that would happen.

[theDentist]

I don't think it would be so expensive... but even if it were, I'd happily pay a little extra to know my info was secure and unreadable.

[stuartcr]

Realistically, I can't see everyone having a smart card in at least the next 10 yrs.

[theDentist]

wait a minute... are you referring to the use of a card to encrypt/decrypt data, or for individuals?

[stuartcr]

For individuals, as in a replacement for a ss card. That way, public key/private key could be used, similar to what is being used by the military in their secure e-mail systems. Otherwise, whoever wanted to use the data would have to have a key for each ssan, if they wanted to work on the account, and some individual would still have the responsibility for having access to the key.

[D-fendr]

The bureaus have very little incentive to maintain accurate data, more incentive not to. And do-it-yourself report cleanup is difficult and time consuming. I've found hiring the right professional is well worth the small amount of money, not to mention the savings you get when your FICO score goes up 50 or 100 points.

But no, this ain't the job of the bureaus, their job is to fight you every step of the way.

[thoughtomator]

I agree. This is right out of Neuromancer. I think the word 'stolen' should be in quotes, because the commonsense assumption is that the data was sold by the person to whom it was entrusted.

[thoughtomator]

Hope nobody in whatver department pays Congressional salaries 'loses' a laptop!

[aimhigh]

Check out this article (todays Oregonian). Congress now wants to overrule all state ID theft laws, and allows companies the discretion to determine if they need to notify to victims of data theft.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1150770350310110.xml&coll=7

[dc27]

I also have a hard drive password as well that is required at startup.

[Cementjungle]

Not amusing....but amazing. All my information is registered with all 3 of these agencies. They are supposed to BE CAREFUL!! If my stuff is ever stolen....I will sue them..... You would have better luck suing Bin Laden.

The credit reporting agencies make money reporting on bad credit, and not on good credit. If there were no bad credit reports they would be out of business.

A couple of years ago Equifax changed my name and added someone else's data to my report. Despite paying them for their "credit watch" service I was never notified by them as so this little tidbit of info. It took 6 months and legal bills to get this corrected.

[VOA]

bump for publicity

[Tall_Texan]

Anyone who has worked with credit bureaus wouldn't be surprised at this. They're just incompetant and, yet, everybody and their uncle depends on these sort of folks in calculating your credit score.

[fhlh]

I for one cannot believe this type of information is allowed to leave the ING offices, much less be on an unprotected laptop....

who is in-charge of IT security at ING???? (yes, I know it was prolly the laptop of some corporate big shot at ING and he/she that told the wirey IT guy to 'p1ss off' when it came to securing his data)

Idiots..

[stripes1776]

For some reason I find this very ironic and amusing.

It is certainly ironic. But why would the company allow sensitive information onto a laptop in the first place? Have they ever heard of establishing a security policy?

[ViLaLuz]

This sounds like Equifax is seeding their own business. Today I found out that since my data might have been stolen from the VA, I should pay Equifax to have my credit monitored.