Record data breaches in 2008.

• Author: Swartz, Nikki
• Position: UP FRONT - Identity Theft Resource Center

The total number of data breaches in 2008 will surpass those reported in 2007, according to a report from the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC).

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Last year, 446 breaches were reported. As of August 2008, the data breach total stood at 449, the ITRC said, adding that more surely go unreported or are reported as one incident.

Linda Foley, ITRC founder, attributes part of the growth of the ITRC's breach list to the ability to access state attorney general notification lists, which contain breaches not reported via media or other sources.

"If more states would publish breach notification lists, there would be more information to study and to help us understand this growing concern," she said. "At this time, only three states publish such information. Additionally, more companies are starting to audit their security and network systems and use readily available security measures. This proactive approach means that breaches are being identified that might otherwise have gone undetected."

Major data breaches certainly seem to be occurring more frequently. A recent example is the Bank of New York Mellon Corp., which admitted that a recent security breach involved 12.5 million customers, instead of the 4.5 million it had originally announced had been affected.

Last February, Bank of New York Mellon lost a box of six to 10 unencrypted backup tapes containing customer names, addresses, birth dates, and Social Security numbers while transferring them. Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell announced an investigation into the security...