Data Security Breaches: Context and Incident Summaries

Publication Date: January 2007

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Media, telecommunications, and information

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Abstract:

Personal data security breaches are being reported with increasing regularity. Within the past few years, numerous examples of data such as Social Security, bank account, credit card, and driver's license numbers, as well as medical and student records have been compromised. A major reason for the increased awareness of these security breaches is a California law that requires notice of security breaches to the affected individuals. This law, implemented in July 2003, was the first of its kind in the nation.

State data security breach notification laws require companies and other entities that have lost data to notify affected consumers. As of December 2006, 34 states had implemented data security laws.

Congress is considering legislation to address personal data security breaches, following a series of high-profile data security breaches at major financial services firms, data brokers (including ChoicePoint and LexisNexis), and universities. Multiple measures were introduced in 2005 and 2006, but to date, none have been enacted.

This report will be updated regularly.