Potentially, any device handling data can become the target of a malicious application. The effort to access those data is directly related to their “value” (SSN, CCN, e-mail addresses, etc). The popular iPhone produced by Apple has not escaped this problem.

According to The Register, an iPhone owner and gamer filled a complaint against a major game development company for leaking users’ cell numbers without their permission. It seems that it’s not the first time that this company was accused to handle users data in the wrong way.

Source: The Register.

Symantec organized a study targeting Indian enterprises. The study revealed classical issues:

• Data classification is difficult to achieve,
• Low awareness program about data loss risks,
• Low adoption of DLP technologies

Source: cadcamnews.in.

UK CIOs reported 356 data loss incidents last year! Amongst them:

• 71 memory sticks and CD-ROMs were lost.
• 24 incidents of data being lost by couriers.
• 127 laptops lost.
• 78 incidents where data was disclosed in error.

Source: InfoSecurity Magazine.

Google indexed sensitive data from the IWEPS (“Walloon Institute for Evaluation, Foresight and Statistics“). The following file was available online today: “Budget 2009 IWEPS.xls” which contained personal information like revenues, expenses, salaries, date of birth, gross annual and the cost of allowances.
Source: informaticien.be (French article – Google translation).

The insurance company Zurich UK reported a loss of data tape with customer information.
Source: securite.reseaux-telecoms.net (French article – Google translation)