What do we not understand about encryption? The technologist stated it had not been protected as originally stated...security breach story of the week...and once more why was this information stored on a local computer? With the speed and connectivity resources we have today there's almost no reason for anyone to be carrying around patient information on a computer, but yet I see it all the time, staff removing information to perhaps take home to work with, but a secure VPN connection could help solve these issues easily...BD
WORCESTER— Fallon Community Health Plan said this afternoon the names, dates of birth and Medicare identification numbers of approximately 30,000 Senior Plan members was on a laptop computer stolen earlier this month from a Boston-based vendor of the HMO.
The health plan said it will offer free credit monitoring services for 12 months to those affected by the data breach. Fallon health plan officials said the data was not password protected or encrypted, in violation of the company's policies.Mr. Schultz said the laptop containing Fallon's information was one of three computers stolen from a Boston office on either Dec. 31 or Jan. 1. The vendor discovered the theft Jan. 2 and originally said the material had been encrypted. But the health plan, with the assistance of a forensic technologist, came to the conclusion Jan. 14 that the information was not protected.
0 comments :
Post a Comment