U.S. citizens' data possibly compromised [View All]

[Rose Siding]

NEW YORK -- Using misappropriated passwords and identifications from legitimate customers, intruders got access to personal information on as many as 32,000 U.S. citizens in a database owned by Lexis Nexis, the company's corporate parent said Wednesday.

Reed Elsevier Group PLC said the breach of its recently acquired Seisint unit was being investigated by staff and by U.S. law enforcement authorities.

Boca Raton, Fla.-based Seisint stores millions of personal records including individuals' addresses and social security numbers. Customers include police and legal professionals and public and private sector organizations.
Reed Elsevier bought Seisint -- which provides data for Matrix, a crime and terrorism database project funded by the U.S. government that has raised concerns among civil liberties groups -- for $775 million in August.
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"The U.S. law enforcement agencies have asked us not to say too much as they are in the process of trying to track down the people who are responsible," said Catherine May, a Reed Elsevier spokeswoman in London.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2005/03/09/us_citizens_data_possibly_compromised/