Suspected Hacker Taps Into Military Records

[Jeb]

Suspected Hacker Taps Into Military Records

http://channels.netscape.com/tech/package....floc=gt_sec_lk1

 

 

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (AP) -- A suspected hacker tapped into a military database containing Social Security numbers and other personal information for 33,000 Air Force officers and some enlisted personnel, an Air Force spokesman said Tuesday.

 

That figure represents about half of the officers in the Air Force, but no identity theft had been reported as of early Tuesday, said Tech. Sgt. James Brabenec, a spokesman at the Air Force Personnel Center at Randolph Air Force Base.

 

The case was under investigation.

 

"Protecting airmen's personnel information is something we take very seriously," Maj. Gen. Tony Przybyslawski, commander of the personnel center, said in a statement. "We are doing everything we can to catch and prosecute those responsible."

 

The Social Security numbers, birth dates and other information was accessed sometime in May or June, apparently by someone with the password to the Air Force computer system, Brabenec said.

 

On Friday, the people affected were notified of steps they can take to protect their identity, he said.

 

Przybyslawski said he and others addressing the problem decided to wait nearly 60 days to inform those affected so as not to jeopardize the investigation and search for suspects.

 

The military, while protecting classified information, has had trouble protecting data about its people, a computer expert told The Washington Post, which first reported the story.

 

"They have historically done much better at protecting operational systems than at protecting administrative systems," said John E. Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org.

 

Hacking has been on the rise in commercial industry.

 

Business leaders in July announced an education campaign to better protect sensitive client information from hackers and other thieves, after a string of high-profile data thefts and losses.

 

In June, CardSystems Solutions Inc. disclosed that a breach of its system that processes transactions between merchants and credit card issuers exposed 40 million accounts to possible fraud.

 

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ID Theft From Hell: A Whole New Twist

http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum....g=ws-crimeforum

 

On the same day that James Cook left his Frisco, Texas home on a business trip to Florida, his wife Paula traveled to Oklahoma to care for her sick mother. When the two returned several days later, they found the locks on the house had been changed and someone else had taken up residence in their home.

 

It gets worse. When the Cooks knocked on their own front door, the man who answered it said he owned the house, claiming he had paid a $12,000 down payment to someone named Carlos Ramirez, reports WFAA-TV Fox 11 in Tucson, Ariz. How could that be? The Cooks marched straight to the Denton County Courthouse to check their warranty deed. Sure enough, they found that someone had forged Paula Cook's maiden name and transferred the deed to one Carlos Ramirez.

 

Paula's identity was not only stolen, but also the thief took her house. "It was very shocking and outrageous," she told WFAA-TV. "It put us in shock that someone could just change the warranty deed without our acknowledgement." Now the Cooks have to prove they are the rightful owners of the house. Even the police said they've never seen a case like this one, but suspect the criminal was able to steal the identity and the house with just Mrs. Cook's Social Security number, driver's license number and a copy of her signature.

 

Boy, does this take nerve: Meanwhile, the Los Angles Times reports that ChoicePoint Inc., which inadvertently sold personal identity information on 150,000 people to criminals, has found a way to cash in on the victims. The company has sent form letters to the victims telling them their IDs may be compromised. It also offers to sell them some of the same information so they can see what was stolen. The L.A. Times calls it a "lucrative new business" for ChoicePoint.

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#2 of 6

Posted Aug-22 4:47 PM wc5collins

 

From wc5collins Posts 3 Last Aug-22

To Cathy [Msg # 7778.2 Message 7778.2 replying to 7778.1 7778.1 ] (Unread)

 

Not jsut once, but twice has it happened!

 

When I was going through my divorce, my then husband and his girlfriend bought a house... in MY name. She was kind enough to sign for me and I never knew..... UNTIL after the second time.

 

My current husband's ex wife had a history of opening credit cards in everyone elses name and then flying witht he money, leaving family and fromer friends with the bill. When we frist got married (which she was never happy with) she apparantly had a brillant idea and took a morgage out in OUR names with her boyfriend... it was easier for her since she never changed her last name and had broken into our house while we wren't home, retriving vital info. It was only after we had companies calling and hounding us that we did a credit check on ourselves and then ~surprise~.... not only did we mysteriously own a house is some other state, but I had a house I never new of as well!!

 

We are STILL sorting it all out... but two good things DID come off it... BOTH our ex's are fighting the law now

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#3 of 6

Posted Aug-22 6:36 PM ramrez205

 

From ramrez205 Posts 7 Last Aug-23

To ALL [Msg # 7778.3 Message 7778.3 replying to 7778.1 7778.1 ]

I currently am fighting charges of identity theft.

I was walking up to a payphone when i noticed a woman looking at something in a box underneath the phone. The look on her face let me know it was something out of the ordinary. Turns out the box was full of applications for cell phones, store credit and other vital information that had been carlessly discarded bu the Radio Shack around the corner. After breifly speaking with the woman that was there, I found out she had a special interest because she was under house arrest and had a case for identity theft. Her husband was also there and stated that their lawyer said they should buy a disposable camera and take pictures to help their her case.

There was an officer making her was up the block checking stickers on parked cars. Her husband approached the officer stating what they had found and he wanted the officer to escort him into Radio Shack with some of the papers to show the manager what was goin on and so that noone would think he had bad intentions with the papers.

Stupid me, I stay and talk to the woman as her husband is in the store. I never met these people before and I just wanted to use the damn phone. They return and we are all just speaking about the situation. Then the DT's roll up. Needless to say, I got locked up even thought the female officer initially on the scene told the other cops I had nothing to do with anything. I was in Bookings for over 2 days and am still currently fighting this case. I bet Radio Shack wasn't held responsible for anything. By the way...I am from The Bronx, New York. and the precint the cops were from is the famous 46.

I got hit with possession of over 300 peices of stolen id!!!!!!! When I was searched at the scene, I had nothing on me...doesn't possession mean...well.....possession???!!!!!

 

THANK YOU NYPD FOR FALSLEY ARRESTING ME AND RUINING MY SUMMER AND MAKING FINDING A JOB JUST THAT MORE DIFFICULT. ALL BECAUSE THE FEMALE OFFICER WAS A ROOKIE AND THEY WANTED TO 'GIVE' HER 'NUMBERS'.

 

Thanks for listening

 

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