PRIVACY + SECURITY BLOG

News, Developments, and Insights

Alan Westin’s Privacy and Freedom

I am pleased to announce that Alan Westin’s classic work, Privacy and Freedom, is now back in print.  Originally published in 1967, Privacy and Freedom had an enormous influence in shaping the discourse on privacy in the 1970s and beyond, when the Fair Information Practice Principles (FIPPs) were developed. The book contains a short introduction […]

Privacy+Security Forum Chart of Session Times + Speakers

I’m very excited that the 1st annual Privacy + Security Forum (Oct. 21-23 in Washington, DC) is finally beginning! We have about 190 speakers and 60+ sessions.   Session Descriptions: Session Descriptions Guide [link no longer available] Readings: Readings for each session are on our schedule page [link no longer available] Session Times and Location: Session […]

Sunken Safe Harbor: 5 Implications of Schrems and US-EU Data Transfer

By Daniel J. Solove In a profound ruling with enormous implications,the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has declared the Safe Harbor Arrangement to be invalid. [Press Release]  [Opinion] The Safe Harbor Arrangement The Safe Harbor Arrangement has been in place since 2000, and it is a central means by which data about EU citizens can […]

Phishing Your Employees: 3 Essential Tips

A popular way some organizations are raising awareness about phishing is by engaging in simulated phishing exercises of their workforce.  Such simulated phishing can be beneficial, but there are some potential pitfalls and also important things to do to ensure that it is effective. 1. Be careful about data collection and discipline Think about the data […]

6 Great Films About Privacy and Security

By Daniel Solove I previously shared 5 of my favorite novels about privacy and security, and I’d now like to share 6 of my favorite films about these topics — because I just couldn’t whittle the list down to 5. I was thinking about my favorite films because I’ve been putting together a session at […]

Should the U.S. Play By Different Rules in Cyberspace?

Recently, oral arguments were heard in a very important case in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The case is officially titled In the Matter of a Warrant to Search a Certain E-Mail Account Controlled and Maintained by Microsoft Corporation, but it is being referred to as Microsoft v. United States for short.

PCI Training: Reducing the Risk of Phishing Attacks

The Payment Card Industry (PCI) Security Standards Council recently released a helpful short guide to preventing phishing attacks.  Merchants and any other organization that accepts payment cards most follow the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).  One of the requirements of the PCI DSS is to train the workforce about how to properly collect, handle, […]

Start with Security: The FTC’s Data Security Guidance

Recently, the FTC issued a short guide to what organizations can do to protect data security.  It is called Start with Security  (HTML) — a PDF version is here.  This document provides a very clear and straightforward discussion of 10 good information security measures.  It uses examples from FTC cases.

Why HIPAA Matters: Medical ID Theft and the Human Cost of Health Privacy and Security Incidents

By Daniel J. Solove Whenever I go to a doctor and am asked what I do for a living, I say that I focus on information privacy law. “HIPAA?” the doctors will ask. “Yes, HIPAA,” I confess. And then the doctor’s face turns grim.  At first, it looks like the face of a doctor about […]