Data Security News

With all the talk about the new healthcare law and, hopefully, the millions of people who will now have health coverage who didn’t before, it seems like a good time to remind healthcare providers and patients about the laws regarding “Protected Health Information (PHI)”. The laws regulating the secure storage and disposal of PHI are…

Borrowing again from the FTC’s valuable resources, this information is key for any potential victim of the recent breach at Target Stores.  By its own admission, Target announced that any credit or debit card used in a Target store in the U.S. between November 27 and December 15 may have been compromised. According to the…

Following up on last week’s blog announcing the FTC’s Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week, here is a review of steps to take if you have the unfortunate experience of falling victim. If you think someone used your SSN for a tax refund or a job — or the IRS sends you a notice or letter…

The FTC (the government office tasked with identity theft related issues) recently announced January 13-17 as Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week. What follows is excerpted from the FTC’s recent blog. “The IRS uses your Social Security Number (SSN) to make sure your filing is accurate and complete, and that you get any refund you are…

Thanksgiving is in the rear view mirror and that means the holiday shopping season is now at full steam ahead. As we have noted in the past in this blog, we have found the FTC (the government office charged with dealing with Identity theft issues) to be a useful resource. What follows is the tips…

As we dig into the meat of the final quarter of 2013, we suggest businesses take a serious look at their current document filing practices.  Many companies keep on storing more documents year after year because they have no idea when they are supposed to get rid of them.  By default, they typically remain in…

Most of us have experienced the scam email from the friend/relative overseas in desperate need of money fast.  In a strange but true experience, our family at HV Shred got the phone call.  In textbook fashion, the scammers targeted a most vulnerable population–senior citizens.  Seniors are most likely to be home to get these calls…

One of the blogs we monitor to keep our community aware of the latest scams is the Internet Crime Complaint Center.  A recent posting on that site focused on “CryptoLocker Ransomware”.  According to the FBI, CryptoLocker is a file encrypting Ransomware.  Businesses receive an email with alleged customer complaints and contains an attachment that when…