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The author of this blog, David T.S. Fraser, is a Canadian privacy lawyer who practices with the firm of McInnes Cooper. He is the author of the Physicians' Privacy Manual. He has a national and international practice advising corporations and individuals on matters related to Canadian privacy laws.

For full contact information and a brief bio, please see David's profile.

Please note that I am only able to provide legal advice to clients. I am not able to provide free legal advice. Any unsolicited information sent to David Fraser cannot be considered to be solicitor-client privileged.

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The views expressed herein are solely the author's and should not be attributed to his employer or clients. Any postings on legal issues are provided as a public service, and do not constitute solicitation or provision of legal advice. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained herein or linked to. Nothing herein should be used as a substitute for the advice of competent counsel.

This web site is presented for informational purposes only. These materials do not constitute legal advice and do not create a solicitor-client relationship between you and David T.S. Fraser. If you are seeking specific advice related to Canadian privacy law or PIPEDA, contact the author, David T.S. Fraser.

Tuesday, April 05, 2005

Berkeley Chancellor on Data Theft

In the aftermath of the Berkeley laptop theft (see PIPEDA and Canadian Privacy Law: Incident: Stolen Berkeley Laptop Exposes Data of 100,000), the University Chancellor has sent a letter to all affected individuals. (Secondary Screening has a copy of the letter online.) It is a good example of damage control and worth reading.

The letter also outlines what the University is doing about the problem and I have to applaud them for taking the initiative to adopt a policy of mandatory encryption of computer systems containing personal information:

Secondary Screening: Berkeley Chancellor on Data Theft:
"2. While this expedited audit is underway, we will move quickly to require the full encryption of all personal information stored on departmental computer systems. We will also require all units on campus to review again personal data stored on departmental machines and to remove all unessential data."

As I've mentioned before (PIPEDA and Canadian Privacy Law: Managing privacy risks using basic technology), encryption can often be your last line of defence if everything else breaks down.

Labels: information breaches, laptop, privacy