"Ohio: Stolen Device Contains 859,800 IDs"

[GreenPartyVoter]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A stolen computer storage device contained more than twice the number of taxpayers' identifications than had been previously reported, Gov. Ted Strickland said Wednesday, but he emphasized there is still no indication the data have been compromised.

The names and Social Security numbers of 561,126 people who had not cashed state income refund checks were on the device, as well as 14,874 people who did business with the state, according to an ongoing review of the information it held. That brings the total number of taxpayers affected to 859,800, Strickland said.

The device was stolen June 10 from an intern's unlocked car. Strickland said no ID theft cases linked to the stolen device have been reported, and that extracting data from it would require a high degree of knowledge and specialized equipment.

In addition to the refund check recipients, others whose information was on the device include state employees, welfare recipients and lottery winners who have yet to cash their tickets.

http://apnews1.iwon.com//article/20070712/D8QAR0I00.html

[glowing]

1. Why would an intern even have these?

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. To set up the theft, of course

[OzarkDem]

4. Gov. Strickland is a Dem

newly elected governor, former Congressman. He wouldn't have a reason to steal data or elections for that matter, though I wish he would in 2008.

[southerncrone]

3. Exactly.

No personal compromising information should EVER be put on PORTABLE devices, i.e. laptops, flashdrives, etc.! This is a common sense issue. The state accounting office should surely be aware of the problems with these, & demand that they not be used. Same for our GAO in DC.