Privacy & Security Matters Mintz Levin : Data Compliance & Security, Employee Privacy Lawyer & Attorney

Monthly Archives: February 2014

Risky Business: Target Discloses Data Breach and New Risk Factors in 8-K Filing… Kind Of

Posted in Data Breach, Data Breach Notification, Privacy Regulation

Written by Adam Veness After Target Corporation’s (NYSE: TGT) net earnings dropped 46% in its fourth quarter compared to the same period last year, Target finally answered the 441 million dollar question – To 8-K, or not to 8-K?  Target filed its much anticipated Current Report on Form 8-K on February 26th, just over two… Continue Reading

Privacy Monday – February 24, 2014

Posted in Cybersecurity, Data Breach, Privacy Monday

On this Privacy Monday: US Attorney General Puts Pressure on Congress for Data Breach Disclosures Today, US Attorney General Eric Holder urged Congress to pass legislation requiring retailers to make significant customer data breaches known in a timely manner.   This push follows Congressional hearings where members of Congress expressed dismay over the Target and Neiman… Continue Reading

“Sophisticated” Breach Exposes 300,000 Student Records at University of Maryland: 3 Questions You Should Ask

Posted in Cybersecurity, Data Breach, Data Breach Notification

  Officials at the University of Maryland (“University” or “UMD”) announced that UMD was the victim of a significant security breach that took place on Tuesday, February 18 (the “Breach” or “Incident”). The Incident, characterized as a “sophisticated computer security attack” by both the University’s President and the Chief Information Officer, exposed records containing the… Continue Reading

Complaint from BBB Triggers HarperCollins COPPA-Compliance Measures

Posted in Children, Data Compliance & Security, Online Advertising

Written by Julia Siripurapu The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) announced (press release) that  it has recommended that HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. (the “Company”) modify its information collection practices on its Ruby Redfort child-directed website (the “Site”) to better protect the privacy of children under 13  (“Children”) and that the  Company has agreed to do so…. Continue Reading

FTC Approves Another COPPA Safe Harbor Program

Posted in Children, Federal Trade Commission, Privacy Regulation

Written by Julia Siripurapu The FTC has announced its unanimous approval for the kidSAFE Seal Program proposed by Samet Privacy, LLC under the “safe harbor” provision of the COPPA Rule (the “kidSAFE Seal Program”). The Commission’s decision comes after an extended public comment period due to the agency’s shutdown last year.  For more information regarding… Continue Reading

NIST Framework for Critical Infrastructure Released

Posted in Cybersecurity

The release yesterday of the Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity by the National Institute of Standards and Technology caps a year-long effort by NIST to find an industry consensus for assessing and improving the cybersecurity of the nation’s privately-owned critical infrastructure. We will be publishing a more detailed analysis of the final Framework in… Continue Reading

Congress Moves Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity Bill

Posted in Cybersecurity, Legislation

On Wednesday, the House Homeland Security Committee passed a substitute bill for H.R. 3696, the National Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2013.  The committee substitute bill was broadly supported by both parties.  As it presently stands, H.R. 3696 delegates to the Department of Homeland Security  the responsibility for civilian cybersecurity research and development, incident detection… Continue Reading

California Moves to Restrict Collection of Consumer Personal Information Online: the Process, History and Politics Behind Senate Bill 383

Posted in Data Compliance & Security, Legislation, Privacy Litigation, Privacy Regulation

Written by Jake Romero The California Senate has passed a bill restricting the information that certain online retailers can collect in connection with consumer purchases.  Senate Bill 383 would amend Sections 1747.02 and 1747.08 of the California Civil Code to address the collection of customer information in connection with credit card purchases in online transactions… Continue Reading

Federal Data Security Breach Notification – is 2014 the Year?

Posted in Data Breach Notification, Privacy Regulation

Written by Amy Malone Data privacy legislation has been introduced regularly, but has yet to pass, could this be the year? The recent breaches at Target and Neiman Marcus (see our posts here, here, here) have drawn national attention and may be the impetus needed to pass the legislation. Currently two bills addressing data breaches… Continue Reading