Well, guess what. Another large company that collects personal information about people without their knowledge has been hacked. This time it’s Seisint, owned by Lexis Nexis. This is a database used to supply the MATRIX (Multistate Anti-Terrorism Information Exchange) system with data. In other words, a system designed to help law enforcement fight terrorism left itself open to a group with stolen passwords.
But don’t worry, everyone, the data that was stolen about 32,000 people “included names, addresses, Social Security and driver license numbers, but not credit history, medical records or financial information,” according to a spokesperson. We know no one can do much damage with that, right? :|
I guess ChoicePoint should feel a bit better now. At least they were just socially hacked. (Previous entries here and here.)
From the Wider World: “ChoicePoint Says ‘Please Regulate Me’” from the Schneier on Security blog