TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Ohio Governor Says Stolen Tape Had Taxpayer Info

Ohio Governor Says Stolen Tape Had Taxpayer Info

Stephan Majors, Associated Press (ap@telecom-digest.org)
Thu, 21 Jun 2007 12:48:53 -0500

By STEPHEN MAJORS, Associated Press Writer

A missing computer backup tape containing personal information on
state employees also holds the names and Social Security numbers of
225,000 taxpayers, Gov. Ted Strickland said.

The tape, stolen last week from a state intern's car, was previously
revealed to hold the names and Social Security numbers of all 64,000
state employees, as well as personal data for tens of thousands of
others, including Ohio's 84,000 welfare recipients.

The taxpayers' information was on the backup tape because they hadn't
cashed state income tax refund checks.

Strickland said Wednesday an expert's review could reveal the tape
contained more sensitive data.

The administration has maintained it does not believe the information
has been accessed because it would require specific hardware, software
and expertise.

But data security experts said the unencrypted tape, described by
police as roughly 4 inches square and an inch thick, could be breached
by someone with computer expertise, time and money.

Strickland said 20,000 state employees had signed up for
identity-theft protection as of Tuesday night, and there had been no
indications that someone had attempted to use their personal
information.

The state is paying more than $700,000 to provide all state employees
with identity-theft protection services and to hire an independent
computer expert to review what data the tape contained. Officials said
they would extend identity-theft protection services to the people in
the categories announced Wednesday.

The tape was stolen June 10 out of the unlocked car of a 22-year-old
intern who had been designated to take the backup device home as part
of a standard security procedure. The governor has since issued an
executive order ending the practice of employees taking backup devices
home for safekeeping.

He also mandated a review of how state data is handled.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.

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