investigation

When an actor gets hacked

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 07:00:00 -0400

Like many CIOs these days, actor George Clooney found out the hard way that databases can get hacked and information can be leaked. Clooney's medical records were grabbed out of the system at a New Jersey hospital where he was taken following a recent motorcycle accident. More than two dozen members of the hospital staff, including doctors, were suspended without pay following an investigation.

Tough luck, you might say. But this is a problem everywhere, not just at hospitals or even at financial centers that handle large amounts of money. Every CIO must make sure that databases are as tight as a drum and cannot be breached. "We conduct audits on a regular basis to make sure our systems are protecting individuals' rights," Eurice Rojas, the hospital's vice president of external affairs, told The Associated Press.

Do you? Is your staff well-trained in preventing intrusions? And more importantly, does the staff of your company know there are consequences to violating a person's privacy? While securing data is probably the most important job you have--and the most difficult--letting insiders know that security violations will not be tolerated is just as important, even if it is for a peek at a Hollywood hunk's medical chart. -Judi

Head off lawsuits at the pass

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 19:01:39 -0500

If your company is party to any legal action these days, it probably involves a thorough investigation of all electronic missives--everything from documents and spreadsheets to email and instant messages. As CIO, your job is to know where every electronic document and messages resides and to know how to access them quickly. But you can save your company and your department a lot of headaches by completing one more critical task--working closely with your internal legal council to develop your company's policies for e-discovery. That involves defining a communication channel through which IT is brought into the discovery process as early as possible.

Read more about protecting your company's digital assets:
- read the article at TechNewsWorld

ALSO NOTED: Trojans on the rise, rootkit infections decreasing; Optimism can boost M&A transition; and much more...

Wed, 25 Oct 2006 20:01:33 -0400

> Trojans on the rise, rootkit infections decreasing. Article

> Optimism can boost M&A transition. Article

> Building good interdepartmental bridges enhances business processes. Article

> Under-reporting hurts hacking investigation efforts. Article

> Britain opens national open-source policy institute. Article

> Cyber attacks at the top of the FBI task list. Article

> Public CIOs leave, rather than take new government role. Article

> "FBI" email solicitation is a hoax, says agency. Article

And Finally... The world's fastest text messenger gets beaten. Article

SPOTLIGHT: An in-depth view of HP's investigation approach

Tue, 03 Oct 2006 20:01:34 -0400

The HP corporate scandal continues to roll on as congress releases tons of documents from the recent hearings about the company's use of pretexting. One of the most interesting articles on the topic is a story about the man at the center of the investigation effort. As a rising in-house lawyer turned compliance legal beagle, Kevin Hunsaker has suffered a fall that makes for a compelling story. Article

HP customers see scandal as CEO test

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 20:01:36 -0400

Last week was a bit rough for HP's top executives with a few testifying before a congressional panel about the company's investigation into boardroom leaks and the resignation of a couple high level positions. Yet despite being headline news across the tech industry for several weeks, the scandal doesn't seem to be causing any issues with HP's client base. Most seem unperturbed by the revelations, but a number of people feel it's going to prove to be a big test for HP's current leader Mark Hurd. If anything, it seems tech leaders are just keeping an eye on how he handles the situation and if any more of his involvement is revealed.

For more on how clients view the HP situation:
- don't miss the news at Computerworld

HP's Dunn steps down

Sun, 24 Sep 2006 20:01:38 -0400

HP chairwoman Patricia Dunn stepped down Friday at the request of the board--a few months short of the initial resignation date of January 2007. She was at the center of HP's much scrutinized investigation into boardroom leaks. Late last Friday afternoon HP's chief, Mark Hurd, called a press conference to talk about the HP boardroom leak scandal. Hurd discussed his role in the incident stating that HP still doesn't have all the facts about what took place. Both Hurd and other HP executives are expected to testify in Congressional hearings on the incident this Thursday.

For the latest news on the HP scandal:
- Here's a report at Computerworld

HP's chief mum on scandal

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 20:01:38 -0400

While it seems that everyone, from the federal courts to the state attorneys, is launching an investigation into the HP boardroom spy scandal, the company's CEO is busy doing a road show. Mark Hurd has been busy talking about what's on his agenda, the technology evolution taking place within his business, what he sees as growth areas and the urgent need to become much more responsive to customers. The one thing Hurd isn't talking about is what's going on with the investigations and the tactics contractors used to find out who was leaking confidential boardroom information.

For more on HP's business vision:
- read the interview at CIO Today

PLUS: HP chairman called to testify in Capitol Hill hearings. Article

ALSO NOTED: An effort to educate on identity theft vulnerability; Provider aims to meld mobile network with WiFi access; and mu

Thu, 07 Sep 2006 20:01:33 -0400

> An effort to educate on identity theft vulnerability. Article

> Provider aims to meld mobile network with WiFi access. Article

> EMC puts rights management into data storage product. Article

> HP investigation reveals media phone records were accessed. Article

And Finally... The world's tallest living thing. Article

HP board under fire

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 20:01:39 -0400

HP's all over the news today as the Attorney General of California is launching an informal probe into what's shaping up to be quite an embarrassing scandal. Investigators are checking out a report that chairwoman Patricia Dunn hired private investigators to gain access to board members' homes and cell phone records. Meanwhile, the company is also dealing with the resignation of board member Thomas Perkins, following an investigation of the board regarding a media leak. Former head honcho Carly Fiorina is likely paying close attention, as there are allegations that the board leaks may have been happening on her watch as well.

For more on the HP investigation:
- check out TechWeb article

Privacy is a growing issue with collected data

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 20:01:39 -0400

Any company storing confidential data, or tracking users' activity using search technology, needs to keep an eye on the evolving story of AOL's recent search data boo-boo as privacy lobbyists push for a full investigation of the recent incident. In case you missed the news, AOL published Web phrases and search terms used by its extensive membership in the past three months. It turned out that users could be identified through the data, a privacy invasion that the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) isn't about to overlook. The EFF now wants the Federal Trade Commission to look into the issue and says it's a prime example of why data collection must be regulated with strict laws.

For more on the data privacy issue:
- click over to TechWeb to read the article