Politics

Personal Data on Thousands of Macomb County Workers Was Posted Openly for 40 Days

October 19, 2014, 8:49 AM

These days people and companies try extra-hard to prevent strangers from getting access to such personal information as social security numbers and dates of birth.

So it came as a big surprise to learn that personal information of more than 6,000 Macomb County employees and their dependents were inadvertently exposed on a web site for about 40 days ending last month, Jameson Cook of The Macomb Daily reports.

County officials learned of the security breach early last month and last week mailed an undated letter to employees and family members, including children, notifying them of the incident and one year of free enrollment in two identity theft protection programs.

The names, Social Security numbers, birthdates, city, Zip Code and plan carrier of the employees and their dependents were inadvertently available for public access on the web site, mitn.info, for the Michigan Inter-Governmental Trade Network, from July 31 to when it was discovered Sept. 10. The county was seeking proposals for health-care plans.

Corporation Counsel John Schapka, who signed the letter, called the incident an innocent mistake by a county contractor and downplayed the potential effects of the breach. He said his and his wife’s information was exposed.

“I believe the risk to any individual is very low, and I can tell you quite candidly I have done nothing extra to protect myself. That’s how worried I am,” Schapka said.


Read more:  The Macomb Daily


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