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Hacker Hits University Of Georgia
by Chloe Albanesius
A University of Georgia computer server fell prey to a hacker who now has access to thousands of employee Social Security numbers, the school announced Wednesday.
The breach, which was discovered Sept. 19, has placed the numbers of 2,429 current and former workers in jeopardy, the school said. Credit-card information was not in the database.
"While there is no evidence that information was actually accessed, the potential exists for the intruder to match names and Social Security numbers, so it is imperative that we notify the individuals involved so that they may take appropriate steps to protect against identity theft," Stan Gatewood, the university's chief information security officer, said in a statement.
An investigation is under way. Gatewood urged those affected to review the Web sites of the FTC or Georgia attorney general for steps they can take to prevent ID theft.
California Moves To Curtail ID Theft
In California, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger became the latest governor to sign bills aimed at decreasing occurrences of ID theft.
California has been at the forefront of identity security since enacting a law requiring notification of consumers after data breaches. The law is a model for states grappling with the effects of data theft. Schwarzenegger signed another seven bills into law Thursday in an effort to "close the vulnerable pathways that allow thieves to steal personal information," he said in a statement.
One measure, S.B. 97, would impose fines of up to $1,000 or six months in jail for violating California's law against unsolicited commercial e-mail, or spam. It was authored by Sen. Kevin Murray, a Democrat who also wrote the state law against surreptitiously installed computer "spyware." Scammers often send spam purporting to be from legitimate companies in order to dupe users into providing personal information.
The other bills Schwarzenegger signed were:
-- S.B. 13, which would require a panel to approve scientific research proposals before state agencies can disclose personal information that will be used during the research;
-- S.B. 158, which would eliminate the line on power-of-attorney forms where people provide their Social Security numbers;
-- S.B. 640, which would prevent inmates from holding jobs that give them access to the personal information of Californians;
-- A.B. 361, which would make it a misdemeanor for a notary republic to not fulfill her duty and would revoke the privilege should she be convicted of a felony.
-- A.B. 1069, which would make it a crime to possess equipment that can produce fake identification documents with the intent to deceive;
-- And A.B. 1517, which would require criminal background checks for Department of Managed Health Care workers who can access medical information.
Schwarzenegger signed several others bills into law last week, including a measure, S.B. 389, that would allow automated teller machines to charge fees on international accounts. Another piece of legislation, A.B 846, would allow online courses for driver's education. The governor also is considering a bill, S.B. 370, that would require paper receipts for e-voting.
In related news, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that state Sen. Bill Stephens, a Republican candidate for secretary of state, announced last week that he would introduce legislation in January to require an e-voting paper trail in 2006.
Nevada Laws Tackle Piracy, Traffic Safety
Nearly 200 bills signed into law in Nevada this year take effect Saturday, and they include a handful of technology-related measures.
While it might be tempting to cruise down the Las Vegas strip with a device that automatically changes the red lights ahead of you to green, that practice will become illegal under one of the bills, A.B. 348. Only emergency vehicles will be allowed to use the devices.
People caught using the devices could be issued tickets electronically under another bill, S.B. 132.
Nevada lawmakers also attacked the piracy issue this year with a measure, A.B. 124, that would ban moviegoers from videotaping films in order to distribute them online or via digital videodisc. The act takes effect in the same week that the federal government secured its first guilty plea under a similar law.
A fourth piece of legislation, A.B. 158, sets guidelines on when state agencies must notify officers, employees or contractors when the agencies access computers they have loaned.
Several tech-related bills in Nevada failed to move. They addressed issues such as e-waste, fees on subscription television service, the importation of prescription drugs from Canada, and radio frequency-identification tags.
Nashville Broadband Panel Is Delayed
The Nashville City Council last week delayed action on a resolution that would create a task force to study the feasibility of a city-owned telecommunications network.
The measure, authored by Councilman-at-large David Briley, noted that the United States is lagging international competitors in high-speed Internet access and said the availability of broadband services will help the metro Nashville area become a leader in technology and healthcare. The 15-member panel would consist of business, community and government leaders who would have to issue a report within 180 days.
Briley introduced the resolution Aug. 16, at which time it was deferred until the council's Sept. 20 meeting. But the council again failed to take action last week.
Meanwhile, AP reports that 26 Iowa cities on Nov. 8 will vote on whether they want their municipalities to establish telecom networks. The plan has the support of OpportunityIowa, a group that supports city networks. But groups like Project Taxpayer Protection and the Iowa Taxpayers Association claim that the practice stifles competition.
Wisconsin Wants Sex Offenders Monitored
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle last week announced plans for an expansive initiative that will target convicted sex offenders who fail to register with the state upon release from jail.
Doyle, a Democrat, ordered the state's Corrections and Health and Family Services Department to equip Wisconsin's most dangerous predators with global positioning systems (GPS) to monitor them. He also called for legislation to mandate lifetime monitoring for future serious offenders.
The administration started testing a GPS program in January 2004 and is currently monitoring 11 sex offenders. Using $500,000 in state and federal funds, that number soon will increase to 200, the governor said.
The state's online sex-offender registry soon will include the addresses of all offenders. The governor also plans to create a hotline and e-mail address that residents can contact with information about offenders who have not registered. Retired law enforcers also have pledged to help track such offenders, Doyle said.
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