Boeing laptop stolen

Begin forwarded message:

From: Kris Gabor <[email protected]>
Date: December 14, 2006 9:04:52 AM JST
To: [email protected]
Subject: Boeing laptop stolen

Dave, on the heels of Rich's note, here's another one. (Full  
disclosure: I work for a mobile data security company.)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/ 
2003475335_webboeinglaptop13.html

Boeing laptop stolen, putting 382,000 at risk for identity theft
The Associated Press

CHICAGO — A Boeing Co. laptop containing the names and Social  
Security numbers of 382,000 workers and retirees has been stolen,  
putting the employees at risk for identity theft and credit card fraud.

The theft, which the company confirmed Tuesday, was the third such  
offense in over a year.

Files on the computer also contained home addresses, phone numbers  
and birth dates. Some of the files listed salary information.

"It's very disturbing to us when things like this happen, and there  
are certain steps you can take right away ... but we realize we need  
to go above and beyond those," Boeing spokesman Tim Neale said.

The laptop was stolen earlier this month when an employee left it  
unattended, Neale said. He would not reveal where the theft happened,  
but said no proprietary, customer or supplier data was on the computer.

The employees affected by the theft, who are mostly retirees, have  
not yet been notified. Neale said the company is waiting until it has  
an infrastructure in place to handle the onslaught of questions it  
will likely receive.

A Boeing laptop containing information on roughly 160,000 current and  
former employees was stolen in November 2005. Then, in April, a  
laptop containing information on 3,600 employees and retirees was  
stolen.

Boeing will provide credit-monitoring services for three years for  
those affected by the latest theft, Neale said.

Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company