IBM loses tapes with employee data

IBM, one of the leading companies providing services to help manage and protect data, has apparently lost computer tapes containing personal information about its employees.

The tapes were being transported between IBM facilities in Westchester County, N.Y., on February 23 when they fell out of a contractor's vehicle. An IBM spokesman told the Associated Press that company representatives went to the scene of the loss but could not locate the tapes, which contained information mostly on former employees.

The loss of the tapes came to light recently when the company's human resources department mailed letters to the affected workers to inform them of the loss of data "such as your Social Security number number, your dates of employment with IBM, birth date, contact information such as your address, and your IBM work history," the AP reported. Big Blue even took out an ad in the local paper seeking the tapes' return.

The company would not reveal how many tapes were missing or how many employees were affected, but did say not all of the tapes were encrypted. The spokesman told AP that there was no evidence that the information on the tapes had been exploited, but the company has offered affected employees a year of credit-monitoring services.

[critterskcb]

Lost tapes

I am one of the affected employees and I'm very unhappy about this. This tape contains a lot of personal/private information that could be used to destroy my credit, invade my privacy, or cause identity theft. It is unfortunate that anyone has to provide so much information to companies, only to have it accidentally lost or, worse yet, stolen. This type of information, beyond a doubt, MUST BE ENCRYPTED by any/all companies that have such information. This includes employers, hospitals, doctor's offices, insurance companies, stores, credit card companies, etc.

[adamschwartz]

Tapes fell off a truck???

I'm am a former IBM employee and affected by the loss of these tapes. It is inconceivable to me that the tapes could have just fallen off a truck! Give me a break! What kind of truck was this, some third world rickshaw?

Last year my alma mater lost some tapes that included my personal info. When is this going to stop?!?