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100 firms warned over data breaches

February 23, 2010

Nearly 100 companies have been warned about internet security breaches that could lead to identity theft, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has said.

The FTC notified the public and private companies, including schools and local governments, that they were making personal information about clients or employees available via peer-to-peer file-sharing networks.

The commission said the data was accessible to "any users of those networks, who could use it to commit identity theft or fraud".

The companies involved have not been named but the FTC said its notices affected small and large businesses, with as little as eight members of staff or corporations with tens of thousands of employees.

FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz said:"Unfortunately, companies and institutions of all sizes are vulnerable to serious P2P-related breaches, placing consumers' sensitive information at risk."

"For example, we found health-related information, financial records, and driver's license and social security numbers - the kind of information that could lead to identity theft."

The agency called upon companies to examine their security programmes and ensure there are no unauthorised P2P file-sharing programs.

Copyright © Press Association 2010

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