Victims of Identity Security
Breach Should Be Given Automatic Enrollment
Democratic Caucus Recommends Corrective Action by State Departments
March 10, 2010
Wednesday
Thirteen House Democrats asked Attorney General Designate Dan
Sullivan Tuesday to take further action to protect state employees
and retirees rendered vulnerable by a recent loss of personal
data from state computers. Their request follows a January 29,
2010 letter regarding the security breach and subsequent settlement
with the contractor who lost the data, PricewaterhouseCoopers.
"Along with thousands
of Alaskans, we remain concerned about the massive loss of confidential
information and the potential future consequences," the
letter began. "Additionally, we are hearing that many of
the affected employees/retirees have not received the notification
letter or have been unable to comply with the directions."
The Democratic lawmakers told
Attorney General Sullivan the state's response is inadequate.
They believe affected state employees and retirees should all
be automatically enrolled in identity theft protection, and that
the protection should last longer than two years. The present
administration plan requires affected workers and retirees to
actively opt in and complete an on-line application for credit
protection at one of several available levels of protection,
including ongoing monitoring or a credit freeze.
"We ask the Department of Law and the Department of Administration
to defend Alaska employees and retirees," the lawmakers
wrote, "by amending the settlement to require automatic
enrollment in identity theft protection and at least a five year
duration of that protection."
Finally, the House Democrats again questioned whether PricewaterhouseCoopers
failed to comply with Alaska law requiring companies to immediately
notify those affected if a breach of security occurs.
"The two month time lapse between knowing about the data
loss and disclosing to affected parties violated the law,"
the legislators wrote.
The letter was signed by Representatives Berta Gardner, Beth
Kerttula, David Guttenberg, Bob Buch, Sharon Cissna, Harry Crawford,
Mike Doogan, Neal Foster, Max Gruenberg, Scott Kawasaki, Pete
Petersen, Woodie Salmon, and Chris Tuck.
Source of News:
House Democratic Caucus
legis.state.ak.us
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