Verizon workers fired over Obama records breach

Verizon Wireless has fired the workers tied to the breach of records for a cell phone used by Barack Obama, according to CNN.

A source told CNN on Friday about the firings. The source wouldn't say how many people were involved. The workers had been placed on leave earlier this week during Verizon's internal investigation.

"We now consider this matter closed," the source told CNN.

The breach was publicly reported Thursday; President-elect Obama's transition team was informed a day earlier. Obama's spokesman told CNN that the flip phone, which didn't have e-mail, had been inactive for months.

The source told CNN that the employees weren't authorized to view customer records unless the customer requested it. The employees could not have read text messages or listened to voice mail, CNN reported.

[HlLLARY CLITON]

they should get some jail time too

[n3td3v]

marcus sachs is doing a good job at keeping cyber security in the news to influence the next administration as it is coming in and 100 days after. http://youtube.com/watch?v=FSUPTZVlkyU

[gggg sssss]

probbaly hired by Carly Fiorino (sp?). Didnt she work for the republicans thsi time around?

[senatorquijano]

I don't know about jail time. It breaches company policy and they were fired. If they can't even read text messages or listen to voice mails, then I am not sure what else they could have done that would have been harmful. Maybe they checked how many times he called William Ayers or maybe they will steal his identity. Either way, jail time, with the absence of specific knowledge to more serious infractions having taking place, would be over kill in my opinion.

[gregj777]

Now I know why they always ask if they have my permission to access my records when I call in. I always thought that was odd. Guess not.

[William Crow]

Now they should be prosecuted.

[ruminator]

Ship em to Guantanamo where their privates can be poked with electric prods--those Verizon guys or gals deserve worse than prison. (their commercial sucks too)

[JCCox]

Typical. Big companies just cant be trusted to handle data properly. Its only when its someone high profile like Obama, that it makes the news, but I wonder how many employees of Verizon etc have peeked at their neighbours records. Its little wonder that organizations like truste.org and etrust.org havent commended the data practices of these big carriers.

Big companies can't be trusted? You don't think waiters at restaurants can't easiliy steal credit cards? You don't think car wash employees don't go through glove compartments? You don't think small doctor's office employees don't gossip about neighborhood people coming in for certain ailments? These can be just as damaging and have nothing to do with big companies.

You are confusing morality and assuming that big companies don't have it. While the reality is that it's the employees that are more commonly at blame when something does happen.

I work for a big cellular carrier doing wireless data engineering, and have the ability to go into systems and look up phone numbers of anyone that's a customer. With it you can see who they're calling, who is calling them, who they're text messaging and who is text messaging them and worst of all you can see (even without gps) the travel patterns, where they go and in what general vicinity they're in.

Not once have I ever looked at a number that I wasn't troubleshooting an issue on for a customer. Because I know the legalities of it and the moral issues that are entrusted to me by having that ability. If I break that trust, it's not the big company, it's me.

[aecsuper]

That was a very, very good point.

[pazzophoto]

funny how the criminals that accessed Joe the Plumber's records for the Lord Obama didn't get in trouble.

[ferretboy88]

TRUE. The Democrats sued so we can't spy on a terrorist but they can open Joe the Plumbers life to the world and put it in print how much he makes and owes.

[tketcher]

Yes, Carly did work for the Republicans this time around too. One of the most embarrassing chapters in hP history when this woman took over. Maybe she never be relevant in IT again. I hope she gets a fund raising job for the GOP since she did no jail time.