The incident is the latest in a string of laptop thefts or
losses by several high profile organisations which expose customer
or employee data to potential identity thieves. Given the identity
theft prevention role of the FTC, however, this is likely to be the
most embarrassing incident.
"The Commission is notifying approximately 110 individuals that
two FTC laptop computers, one of which contained some of their
personally identifiable information, were stolen from a locked
vehicle," said an FTC statement.
"The personal information was gathered in law enforcement
investigations and included, variously, names, addresses, Social
Security numbers, dates of birth, and in some instances, financial
account numbers," the statement said.
The computers were being used to prepare an enforcement case and
some of the individuals whose data was on the machines are current
and past defendants in cases brought by the FTC. The body said that
it does not believe that the information itself was the target of
the theft.
"The FTC has no reason to believe the information on the
laptops, as opposed to the laptops themselves, was the target of
the theft," its statement said. "In addition, the stolen laptops
were password protected and the personal information was a very
small part of several thousand files contained in one of the
laptops."
In the US the Veterans Affairs Department last month lost a hard
drive containing data on 26.5 million ex-military personnel, while
the Energy Department and Agriculture Department were both involved
in data breaches.
The problem is becoming more common as more business moves on to
laptops and security and privacy professionals become more
concerned about identity theft.
The FTC said that its Inspector General would conduct an
investigation into the theft and that it had offered the
individuals concerned one year's worth of free credit
monitoring.
