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Another high-profile theft of personal records - this time the social security numbers and birthdates of some 26-million veterans - should prompt government agencies across the land to review their security policies.
In Utah, for instance, is enough being done to protect high-target databases maintained by state agencies such as the Tax Commission, the Division of Motor Vehicles and the Health Department, to name a few?
As the Internet matures, malicious cyber attacks and other abuses are becoming much more sophisticated and insidious. Whereas hackers once did their deeds primarily for the thrill of breaching secure systems, experts now say they're doing it out of greed and with the backing of organized crime.
Identity theft is big business!
Individuals, of course, should take precautions to see that their personal computers are secure. They should follow well-publicized best-practice suggestions in order to minimize the risk of being victimized.
Governments at every level, especially, must come to grips with the reality of what's occurring and not shortchange efforts to implement the most current proven procedures for protecting sensitive information.
It is appalling that sensitive personal information of 26 million veterans has been compromised. Such an inexcusable debacle will be compounded if other database managers don't learn from what happened and take steps to protect vital public records.
