Blogger: Randall Gamby

As briefly mentioned in a Burton Group IdPS blog and a ZDNet Australia published article on July 3, 2008, HR data from Google was stolen from one of their previous HR outsource partners.  It seems that the partner, Colt Express Outsource Partners, had equipment stolen that contained HR data from some of its clients, including Google.  The data was unencrypted and stored on systems that were apparently portable.

So what does this mean for all of us? 

First, it shows that even large SaaS companies like Google can be bitten by a lack of security at their partners, just like many of us can.  Burton Group has been warning clients for a long time about the dangers of sending confidential information to outsource partners without proper security and audit processes in place. Of course this should also be backed by strong contractual language. 

Second, be prepared to pay.  Even if Google had breach mitigation terms in their contract, Colt Express announced that it was in financial difficulty. So Google has had to pay for financial reporting and other compensation to its own employees, even though Google did nothing wrong. 

Third, a Google representative stated "We take the security of our employees very seriously and require outside vendors to meet appropriate security standards. We review and update these standards on an on-going basis.”  Does this mean that Google doesn’t require encryption of its confidential information since encryption of the data was not deployed at Colt Express?  When working with third parties, whether it’s financial data or confidential personal data, this information needs to be protected from unauthorized access. One of the simplest ways is encrypting the data while at rest, regardless of where it’s located. 

Final, the Colt Express breach brings to mind a question Burton Group is always asking: “What is your exit strategy if the contract is terminated with your outsourcing partner?”  A lot of effort is expended in creating an outsourcing agreement around use and protection of data, but what happens when the contract is ended?  Do you obtain and retain the information the outsource partner maintained?  Do you have the outsource partner destroy the information and any archives of it (and verify this was done)?  Do you create a custodial contract with the outsourcing partner for them to maintain the information and archives on your behalf (ensuring the data is properly protected)?  As was found in this incident, after their contract with Google was terminated the outsourcing partner apparently retained the employee data unencrypted on their servers. This was the fatal mistake that allowed the breach to occur.

So as you work with your outsourcing and SaaS vendors, you should not only consider how day-to-day operations should be secured to maintain the confidentiality of your data. You should also think about how that data is being maintained over time, and what are your procedures should the unthinkable happen if your partner allows your data to be compromised.

When we boarded a little later, I asked for the ninny's name. He refused and hissed, "If you make a scene, I'll call the pilot and you won't be flying tonight."

The credit controller, from Gloucester, says he now suffers "appalling" abuse from the authorities and public who doubt his motives. The bus-spotter, officially known as an omnibologist, said: "Since the 9/11 attacks there has been a crackdown. "The past two years have absolutely been the worst. I have had the most appalling abuse from the public, drivers and police over-exercising their authority. Mr McCaffery, who is married, added: "We just want to enjoy our hobby without harassment. "I can deal with the fact someone might think I'm a terrorist, but when they start saying you're a paedophile it really hurts."

Israeli authorities are investigating why a Palestinian resident of Jerusalem rammed his bulldozer into several cars and buses Wednesday, killing three people before Israeli police shot him dead. Israeli authorities are labeling it a terrorist attack, although they say there is no clear motive and the man -- a construction worker -- acted alone. It is not known if he had links to any terrorist organization.

Turns out the ninja was actually a camp counselor dressed in black karate garb and carrying a plastic sword. Police tell the Asbury Park Press the man was late to a costume-themed day at a nearby middle school.

Amsterdam police say 15 camels, two zebras and an undetermined number of llamas and potbellied swine briefly escaped from a traveling Dutch circus after a giraffe kicked a hole in their cage.

According to the consultant who snared Marester, his quarry’s skills appear quite sophisticated. His wares, if they performed as advertised, could help a hacker take down machines running that particular software anywhere in the world. His real name is Steve Rigano; he’s a self-employed network consultant from Grenoble, France, who works full time at HP, where he is listed in the switchboard and maintains an hp.com email address. He told me that he saw nothing wrong with offering tools and techniques that targeted the company providing his paycheck.

A self-taught hacker, Rigano says he discovered the vulnerabilities and coded the exploits on his own time, which he says is none of HP’s business. “I have the right to sell what I want,” he says. He told me he attracted mostly Chinese and Russian buyers, but claimed he never found takers for the HP or SAP “vulns” and exploits. He said he stopped selling black-market code in January but didn’t explain why.

Most security companies I have been acquainted with frown on this type of activity, as I am sure HP has. It’s hard for them to sell security products and services when their employees are selling the very tools the company is purportedly defending against.

Faith in the (UK) gov’s ability to securely manage personal data is out the window.

From Reuters:

The inquiries followed Britain’s biggest data loss scandal, when two discs containing child benefit records, including names, addresses and bank details, of some 25 million people, went missing after being put in the post by a junior employee.

The reports concluded that it wasn’t individuals who were to blame - some 30 were officials played some role in events leading to the loss of the discs - but institutional and systematic failures at Britain’s tax authority.

But the HMRC is not alone in such security breaches. A separate report into a stolen laptop containing the details of 600,000 potential recruits revealed similar failings at the Ministry of Defence. In all, four MoD computers had been stolen since 2004 and the report said the MoD was probably in breach of several principles set out in the Data Protection Act.

Well, where do you stand? Do you trust your respective government not to punt on data security?

Read on.

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