North Carolina DHS Notifies 6,000 of Data Breach of Drug Testing Information

Robinson+Cole Data Privacy + Security Insider
Contact

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has notified close to 6,000 individuals that a spreadsheet containing the names, Social Security numbers and test results for routine drug testing for employment, internships and volunteer opportunities was sent via an unencrypted email to a vendor in error.

Misdirected emails are a frequent occurrence and can have dire consequences. Limiting information in spreadsheets is a strategy to reduce the risk of a breach in the event that an email containing information is sent to the wrong recipient. It is unclear why full Social Security numbers were on this particular spreadsheet, or why they were needed by the recipient, but it is a potent reminder that deleting or not including high risk information before sending it to others is an important practice.

[View source.]

DISCLAIMER: Because of the generality of this update, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations.

© Robinson+Cole Data Privacy + Security Insider | Attorney Advertising

Written by:

Robinson+Cole Data Privacy + Security Insider
Contact
more
less

PUBLISH YOUR CONTENT ON JD SUPRA NOW

  • Increased visibility
  • Actionable analytics
  • Ongoing guidance

Robinson+Cole Data Privacy + Security Insider on:

Reporters on Deadline

"My best business intelligence, in one easy email…"

Your first step to building a free, personalized, morning email brief covering pertinent authors and topics on JD Supra:
*By using the service, you signify your acceptance of JD Supra's Privacy Policy.
Custom Email Digest
- hide
- hide