Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity
    • Storage

    Time Warner Loses Backup Tapes with Employee Info

    Written by

    Paul F. Roberts
    Published May 2, 2005
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      Media giant Time Warner said Monday that it lost a container of computer backup tapes with information on current and former employees.

      The tapes, which were misplaced by an outside data-storage company, contained company data including the names and Social Security numbers of U.S. employees and their dependents, the company said in a statement.

      Time Warner Inc. did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

      The U.S. Secret Service is investigating the incident, which occurred when the backup tapes were being transferred to a storage facility. Time Warner said it doesnt have any evidence that the data has been viewed or used improperly.

      “We take the security of our employees personal information extremely seriously, and we deeply regret that this incident occurred,” Larry Cockell, chief security officer at Time Warner, said in a statement.

      Time Warner sent a letter to its employees explaining the loss and set up a toll-free number for employees to call with questions. The company also contacted major credit agencies and is paying for a one-year subscription to a credit-monitoring service.

      The incident is similar to a number of recent mishaps.

      In February, Bank of America N.A. said it lost backup tapes containing data and customer account information from the U.S. federal governments charge card program. Those tapes also were lost in transit to a storage facility.

      In April, online brokerage Ameritrade Inc. acknowledged that it lost backup tapes in February with information on more than 200,000 clients. The tapes were damaged in transit by a shipping company, which Ameritrade declined to name.

      Reports of data theft and data loss have increased since California passed its state Senate Bill 1386 in 2003. That law mandates that companies that maintain databases containing sensitive personal information disclose security breaches of those systems to any state residents whose information may have been exposed.

      /zimages/2/28571.gifPersonal info is ripe for the taking, columnist Chris Nolan writes. Click here for more.

      Many experts have suggested that the problem had been going on—unnoticed and unreported—before Californias Senate bill became law.

      While the data on the lost Time Warner tapes is probably formatted to work with a proprietary system within the company, thieves still could get at the information, provided they could find the right machine to read the tape, said Richard Moulds, vice president of marketing at data-encryption hardware vendor nCipher Corp. Ltd.

      “Companies spend millions of dollars protecting their [network] perimeter and on physical protections around their buildings, but its often these sorts of back doors that are the most dangerous, like somebody bribing the van driver,” he said.

      Moulds said data encryption can be a last line of defense for sensitive information if other protections fail.

      /zimages/2/28571.gifCheck out eWEEK.coms for the latest security news, reviews and analysis. And for insights on security coverage around the Web, take a look at eWEEK.com Security Center Editor Larry Seltzers Weblog.

      Paul F. Roberts
      Paul F. Roberts

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×