mercury news

Ballmer's take on Vista's market impact

Wed, 25 Oct 2006 20:01:35 -0400

Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer describes the soon-to-be-released Vista operating system as his company's biggest technology project to date. While he won't even guess how much has been spent on development, he says the key to success is innovation that includes managing the amount of integration and incubation risk.

For more on Ballmer's take on Vista's impact:
- check out this Q&A at Mercury News

Marine camp laptop goes missing

Sun, 08 Oct 2006 20:01:38 -0400

Another laptop has gone missing and this time the device holds confidential information on 2,400 residents at the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base. According to the base commander, who would not reveal the type of data involved, they are investigating the loss and notifying those whose data was housed on the device. It's just the latest missing laptop in a long string of incidents in the public and private sector.

For more on the laptop disappearance:
- read the article at the Mercury News

The Foley scandal and IM data trails

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 20:01:37 -0400

As the current scandal involving Florida lawmaker Mark Foley reveals, the trail of instant messaging communications can be a huge piece of evidence in criminal cases. Instant messaging communications do not just disappear when a user logs off--the data is typically stored somewhere within the hard drive or housed within the service provider's log and preserved for an unknown amount of time. For companies dealing with compliance and governmental mandates to protect and store data it's a reminder that IM use is just as vital when it comes to these requirements as email.

For more on IM security and storage:
- check out the Mercury News article

Consultant allegedly stole insurance claimant data

Sun, 30 Jul 2006 20:01:39 -0400

It isn't just the big companies dealing with data theft. Sentry Insurance, a Wisconsin-based company, has reported the theft of data, including names and social security numbers, on over 100,000 insurance claimants and says the information on about 80 was then later sold over the Internet. According to the company the information theft was allegedly done by a consulting firm's staffer who has been arrested and charged with felony counts in the incident.

For more on the latest data theft:
- read this article at Mercury News

Another laptop goes missing

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 20:01:39 -0400

Hey, it's been almost two weeks since the latest laptop theft, and that may have been a new record if Armstrong World Industries hadn't reported that a laptop housing personal data on over 10,000 employees is missing. The device was in the hands of a payroll auditor who had apparently locked it up in a car. The company issues the usual statement that there is no evidence the data is being used maliciously and sent out a two-page letter to employees about how to safeguard accounts, credit bills and keep an eye out for any unusual transactions.

For more on the latest laptop theft:
- read this article at Mercury News

Data breach revealed at DOE

Sun, 11 Jun 2006 20:01:39 -0400

Right on the heels of the infamous data loss at the Veterans Affairs agency comes the disclosure that the Department of Energy has been hacked, with the thief taking the social security numbers and names of 1,500 working for the agency's nuclear division. The big difference though is that the agency didn't tell anyone, including the victims, about the data theft that occurred last September. The incident only came to light during a House committee oversight meeting about DOE cyber security. The failure to alert agency officials and the decision not to notify those impacted by the theft is being tagged to a "misunderstanding" by DOE leaders.

For more on the latest Fed security gaffe:
- read this article at Mercury News

HP calls IT telecommuters back into offices

Mon, 05 Jun 2006 20:01:38 -0400

In what would appear to be clearly an opposite approach given recent news reports about the value of telecommuting to the business bottom line, HP has announced it's calling its IT staff telecommuters 'home' to a designated office space in hopes of cementing team building and fostering greater experience sharing among employees. The company reports that by end of summer all of its tech employees will be working from one of 25 specific offices, which will require many employees to relocate.

For more on HP's telecommuting reversal:
- read this article at Mercury News

Schwartz maps out Sun's top priorities

Tue, 25 Apr 2006 20:01:36 -0400

As Sun Microsystems' newly crowned CEO Jonathan Schwartz is getting ready to take over from Scott McNealy, one of his highest priorities is making sure people know he isn't about to decimate the company's employee roster. Though financial experts believe that big cuts and cutbacks are necessary to pull the company out of its dire straits, the new CEO says that small cutbacks are just one of three things he's focusing on--the other two being dumping unprofitable products and designing new products to regain market share.

For more on the new CEO's plans:
- read this Mercury News article

PLUS: Users offer up some tips for Schwartz. Article

Hurd names top growth targets for HP

Thu, 20 Apr 2006 20:01:36 -0400

Mark Hurd's been at the helm of Hewlett-Packard for a year now, and during his talk at a recent economic council event, he told attendees that his company is flirting with the quest to be the top technology firm. To fuel this growth, Hurd has identified three specific markets to grow the business: printers, mobility and big compute environments. He vows to spend more bucks on research and development despite the layoffs that took place early in his tenure. The biggest challenge ahead is growth in tech talent, which could end up being a huge economic issue for the U.S., he says.

For more on Hurd's vision for year two:
- read this Mercury News article

Laptop with HP employee data goes missing

Wed, 22 Mar 2006 19:01:37 -0500

Hewlett-Packard is scrambling to protect employee data and accounts following the theft of a laptop from Fidelity Investments a week ago containing confidential data on nearly 200,000 employees. The mobile device housed Social Security numbers, compensation information and retirement account data. According to HP and Fidelity, none of the information has surfaced in any monetary theft scenario, and Fidelity has increased account monitoring and security in light of the incident.

For more on the laptop theft:
- read this Mercury News article