IRS: Worker took home personal info on 20K workers

[alp227]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — An Internal Revenue Service employee took home personal information on about 20,000 IRS workers, former workers and contractors, putting the data at risk for public release, the agency said Tuesday.

The employee took home a computer thumb drive containing names, Social Security numbers and addresses of the workers, and plugged the drive into an unsecure home network, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said in an email to employees.

"At this point, we have no direct evidence to indicate this personal information has been used for identity theft or other inappropriate uses," the IRS said in a statement.

Koskinen said the incident did not involve any taxpayer information. The IRS said the potential breach was an isolated incident.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/irs-worker-took-home-personal-info-20k-workers

[philosslayer]

1. So a Government employee brought some work home

Not exactly the crime of the century. Another example of the ongoing effort to demonize Government employees.

[alp227]

2. I doubt you can compare Bradley Manning to this IRS worker. nt