http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2008/08/bny_mellon_data.html

BNY Mellon Data Breach Potentially Massive

Posted by George Hulme, Aug 29, 2008 10:09 PM

It was in May when we noted an investigation launched by the 
authorities in the state of Connecticut into a backup tape lost by 
the Bank of New York Mellon. The results of that investigation are 
in, and they don't look good.

First, some background (which is available in my earlier post, here). 
A backup 10 unencrypted backup tapes with millions of customers' 
information had gone missing on Feb. 27, and the Connecticut 
authorities wanted to know more, as there were up to half-million 
Connecticut residents private information place at risk.

Here's what those (unencrypted) tapes contained, according to 
Attorney General Blumenthal's letter:

BNY representatives informed my office that the information on the 
tapes contained, at a minimum, Social Security numbers, names and 
addresses, and possibly bank account numbers and balances.

That's just great, isn't it.

At first, we thought there were 4 million whose private financial 
information was on those tapes; turns out now that there could be up 
to 10 million. Here's what Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell has to say 
in a statement released yesterday:

"It is simply outrageous that this mountain of information was not 
better protected and it is equally outrageous that we are hearing 
about a possible six million additional individuals and businesses 
six months after the fact," Governor Rell said. "We fear a 
substantial number of Connecticut residents are among this latest 
group."

I couldn't agree more. There is absolutely no acceptable excuse as to 
why this information was not encrypted on these tapes. None.

The BNY Mellon has set up this Web site for those who may have been 
affected by this incident.

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