ChoicePoint Settles ID Theft Case, Licks Wounds June 1, 2007
  Data broker ChoicePoint will pay $500,000 and has agreed to change its customer screening methods in a settlement the company reached with 43 states and the District of Columbia. The agreement was part of the aftermath that followed a major breach at ChoicePoint in 2004 in which identity thieves raided the company's database for confidential information kept on its customers. Read full story

   Vulnerability and Penetration Testing: What's the Difference? May 21, 2007
  If an enterprise turns to an outside vendor to help test security, how do they know what type of service they should ask for? Do they need a penetration test? How about a vulnerability assessment? Add to the mix that some vendors and consultants use these terms interchangeably, and many IT folks can find themselves in some very confusing discussions. Read full story

   Customer Data Breach Erodes TJX Q1 Profits May 15, 2007
  Costs associated with a massive customer data breach -- including investigation of the event, bolstering computer security, supporting affected customers, and handling legal issues -- took a toll on the first quarter profits of retailer TJX. On the bright side, customer traffic and revenue appear unaffected by the security fiasco. Read full story

   University of Missouri Burned in Second Hack Attack May 9, 2007
  More than 22,000 students and former students have been exposed in the second hack attack against the University of Missouri this year. The incident highlights the particular vulnerability of institutions of higher learning, which handle the personal data of large numbers of students, faculty and staff cycling in and out of their systems. Read full story