IU addresses information breach at School of Optometry

[security curmudgeon <jericho () attrition org>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>

http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/19832.html

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 6, 2011

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana University School of Optometry has 
notified 757 patients that a computer server on which certain health 
information was stored was visible on the Internet for almost a month, 
between August and September 2011.

The server, containing information relating to patients seen by a former 
faculty member of the school, Kevin E. Houston, O.D., had been secured 
until a configuration error exposed the information to the Internet 
beginning Aug. 12. Upon learning that the information was exposed on Sept. 
9, the school immediately shut the server down; cached copies indexed by a 
major computer search engine were removed within 24 hours. Letters were 
sent to affected patients on Sept. 30.

The breach affected patients of the school's low-vision clinics in Carmel, 
Ind., and Indianapolis seen from January 2007 through June 2011. It also 
included certain hospital inpatients seen by Dr. Houston from August 2007 
through August 2008. The information did not include addresses, telephone 
numbers, e-mail addresses, social security numbers, credit card numbers, 
driver's license numbers or other financial information that could be used 
for purposes of identity theft.

As a result of the breach, the school has reported the incident as 
required by law and launched an investigation to determine the cause of 
the breach and to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. 
The school has provided detailed information to those affected by the 
incident at http://www.opt.indiana.edu/BreachFAQ.aspx.

The IU School of Optometry and Dr. Houston deeply regret this incident and 
are taking steps and security measures to reduce the likelihood of future 
incidents.
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