Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • 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
  • 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

    USDA Cuts Number Affected by Data Exposure

    By
    Brian Prince
    -
    April 23, 2007
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      The U.S. Department of Agriculture narrowed the number of people whose personal data was exposed on a Web site to 38,700, as agency officials stressed the steps being taken to protect those affected by the situation.

      The 38,700 people affected were awarded funds through the FSA (Farm Service Agency) or USDA Rural Development. The data leak was uncovered by a farmer in Illinois who performed a Google search on her farm name nearly two weeks ago. The search led her to a Web site run by government watchdog group OMB Watch, USDA officials said.

      The data came from a publicly available database maintained by the U.S. Census Bureau since 1981, and has been posted online since 1996, federal officials have said.

      When the data exposure was first uncovered, USDA officials feared as many as 150,000 individuals might be affected. USDA Press Secretary Keith Williams said that number included all individuals whose identification number could possibly contain private information. But they have whittled the number down to 38,700 over the past several days.

      Williams said there has been no evidence that data from the site was misused. One of the reasons, he added, is that the social security numbers were embedded within the 15-digit Federal Award ID number given out to those who received funds. As a result, if a person were searching for a nine-digit social security number, they wouldnt necessarily recognize it since it appeared to be part of a larger number, he explained.

      USDA is offering free credit monitoring services to those affected by the exposure because of the potential that the information was downloaded prior to removal. There is no evidence that this information has been misused, Williams said.

      /zimages/3/28571.gifCorporate sloppiness is the real culprit for data loss. Click here to read more.

      The disclosure comes on the heels of an annual report by the House Government Oversight and Reform Committee that judges compliance with the Federal Information Security Management Act. In the report, the USDA received an F for 2006—the same grade it received in 2005. The government as a whole was given a C-minus in 2006.

      OMB Watch officials posted a statement on their Web site reporting the group redacted all FAADS (Federal Assistance Award Data System) records from the Web site, and the government has committed to fixing the problem with the information within 30 days.

      Check out eWEEK.coms Security Center for the latest security news, reviews and analysis. And for insights on security coverage around the Web, take a look at eWEEKs Security Watch blog.

      Brian Prince
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.
      Get the Free Newsletter!
      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis
      This email address is invalid.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      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
      Applications

      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
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Applications

      Kyndryl’s Nicolas Sekkaki on Handling AI and...

      James Maguire - November 9, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nicolas Sekkaki, Group Practice Leader for Applications, Data and AI at Kyndryl, about how companies can boost both their AI and...
      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.
      © 2022 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.

      ×