The number of data breaches tracked in 2014 hit a record high of 783, according to a report from the Identity Theft Resource Center, sponsored by IDT911. This represents a 27.5-percent increase over the number of breaches reported in 2013, and an increase of 18.3 percent over the previous high of 662 breaches tracked in 2010.

Over the last several years, it has become commonplace for the media to publish information based on electronic materials that have been removed or copied either by organizational insiders and/or external people or groups. The publication of this type of material has impacted individuals, public and private organizations and various government agencies. While it is important for a free society to have the benefits of a free press serving as one of the checks and balances to protect citizens from abusive practices, we may have reached a point where we should re-examine how this is practiced. Are our criminal and civil statues effective on these issues?

Anthem, Inc., the second top insurer in the U.S., has reported a data breach that could affect a large percentage of its 37.5 million customers, as well as employees and past customers. Early estimates report that this could be the largest data breach affecting a U.S.-based health insurer yet. 

In 2009, Heartland Payment Systems announced that it had suffered a devastating breach: 134 million credit cards were exposed through SQL Injection attacks used to install spyware on Heartland’s data systems. The company processes payments for debit, prepaid and credit cards, in addition to online payments and checks and payroll services.  

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman proposed what he called “the strongest” data security law in the nation to combat an increase in the theft of personal information online.

Barack Obama will push Congress to pass a law requiring companies that are victims of data breaches to notify affected consumers within 30 days.

Hotel chain Marriott has requested the Federal Communications Commission to allow the full implementation of blocking hotel guests’ personal Wi-Fi and Mi-Fi devices around its premises, especially conference and meeting rooms. Marriott says that the request is based on security concerns, stating that guests can use their hotspot-enabled devices to compromise the hotel’s network or to commit a data breach involving other guests.