US Missle Defense Details Found on Computer Purchased from eBay
A collaboration of researchers in US, UK and Austrailia trying to raise awareness risks of improperly disposing personal data found their poster child for the year: a computer with details on a US anti-missile defense system.
The Guardian reports the findings:
included a document detailing test launch procedures, blueprints of facilities and photos and personal data about employees - including their social security numbers.
No doubt the organization that owned the PC had policies and procedures in place for wiping the drive according to DoD standards. Having policies and effectively enforcing them are two different things. The organization might improve by sampling a larger number of disposed devices before they are released for recycling.
We IT professionals need to take responsibility for this kind of mistake, though. We are the ones that know the value of information on disposed devices and we now how to wipe data from a drive. Letting something like this slip by is like a surgeon leaving a scalpel inside a patient.
Check out Darik's Boot and Nuke for a free hard drive wiping program.
Email This!
Digg it!
Sphere it!
Del.icio.us
Reddit!
Newsvine
