BOSTON, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Reports from companies whose computers have been hacked show information for almost one-third of Massachusetts residents has been compromised, officials said.
State Attorney General Martha Coakley released the information Tuesday, The Boston Globe reported. A state law that took effect at the beginning of 2010 requires companies to report to state regulators all security breaches that put customers and others at risk of identity theft.
Companies have reported 1,166 data breaches since Jan. 1, 2010, Coakley's office said. About 2.1 million Massachusetts residents had information that might have been compromised, although investigators have not determined whether any were targets of identity theft or fraud.
One in four cases appear to have involved deliberate hacking into computer systems, and another one in four appeared to be mistakes such as sending e-mails or faxes to the wrong recipients. Credit card numbers were compromised in about 15 percent of cases.
Coakley said she is not sure yet whether the law has reduced fraud. But she expects more problems as more personal information is stored and transmitted electronically.
"There is going to be more room for employee error, for intentional hacking,'' Coakley said. "This is going to be an increasing target.''
