{"id":3209,"date":"2011-10-17T19:44:37","date_gmt":"2011-10-17T18:44:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.darknet.org.uk\/?p=3209"},"modified":"2015-09-09T19:37:05","modified_gmt":"2015-09-09T11:37:05","slug":"the-u-s-department-of-defense-hit-with-4-9b-lawsuit-over-data-breach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.darknet.org.uk\/2011\/10\/the-u-s-department-of-defense-hit-with-4-9b-lawsuit-over-data-breach\/","title":{"rendered":"The U.S. Department of Defense Hit With $4.9B Lawsuit Over Data Breach"},"content":{"rendered":"

We haven’t published anything about the Defense Department for a while, the last news really was the whole RSA SecurID<\/a> thing which affected some of the US DoD sub-contractors.<\/p>\n

The latest news is they’ve been hit with a colossal lawsuit of almost $5 Billion! The lawsuit is regarding a recent breach involving a healthcare system for military personnel and their families.<\/p>\n

It’s a pretty heavy suit, claiming $1000 for each of the 4.9 million people affected by the compromise.<\/p>\n

The U.S. Department of Defense has been hit with a $4.9 billion lawsuit over a recently disclosed data breach involving TRICARE, a healthcare system for active and retired military personnel and their families.<\/p>\n

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington D.C. this week by four people whose data was allegedly compromised, seeks $1000 in damages for each of the 4.9 million individuals affected by the breach.<\/p>\n

The suit charges TRICARE, the Department and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta with failing to adequately protect private data and of “intentional, willful and reckless disregard” for patient privacy rights.<\/p>\n

TRICARE did not respond immediately to a request for comment. In the complaint, the four plaintiffs faulted TRICARE for failing to properly encrypt the private data in its possession and for taking too long to notify victims of the breach.<\/p>\n

The four plaintiffs are Virginia Gaffney, a Hampton, Va.-based individual who described herself in court papers as the spouse of a decorated war veteran; her two children; and Adrienne Taylor, a Glendale, Az. Based Air Force veteran. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It’s an interesting culture the US has, people are always suing each other, bringing up lawsuits with ridiculous amounts and trying to get a free ride out of something that didn’t really affect them adversely.<\/p>\n

Seriously, do you really think this data breach affected the plaintiff in any negative manner – I don’t see how it could of to be honest. Either way it’s an interesting case and it could potentially cost the already struggling US government a boatload of money.<\/p>\n