Tuesday, May 5, 2009

In a developing story....

And one that brings to light the folly that is more government oversight and intrusion into our lives.   The Commonwealth of Virginia's big pharmacy cross-check database has been hacked

Well, hacked may be technically correct.   

What's really happened is that this database of over 8 million residents of Virginia has been stolen and held hostage.   Not to mention the 35 million prescription transactions associated with these 8 million residents.

Can you say HIPPA violation?

Can you say lack of oversight by a government that has outsourced it's IT?

Can you say lawsuit?

Why did it take a week before the story broke?   What if those extortionists have already started using the information for identity theft?   The citizens of Virginia may already be screwed.  

What I want to know is how much oversight into the Campaigner-in-Chief's new sweeping electronic health care record initiative will his new Chief Technology Officer (CTO) be involved in?  I only ask because he was the guy in charge of Virginia's now hacked and stolen IT systems.

  
My next question is why does the government need this personal information?   You can claim it's to avoid prescription drug abuse, but really?   Seriously?   How are there 8 million citizens in there?   Are they worried about birth control abuse?   Are you telling me that there are 8 million people just in virginia using serious narcotics that need to be tracked?    As of July 2008  there are only 7.7 million citizens - and I know I'm not on any prescriptions.   Hell, most people I know aren't on any heavy mind altering prescriptions.  

So why are there so many?  And how long does Big Brother and King Kaine plan on keeping this hacker smorgasbord of identity information up and online?   Forever?   

And what is the Commonwealth going to do when they find out that these thieves are from russia, the ukraine, north korea, or wherever?   Will they pay the ransom?   Will we all learn who is taking oxycontin, zoloft or AZT?  

And what will they do when those Names, Addresses and Social Security numbers hit the net? 

My guess is they'll play Alfred E Neuman and say "What?  Me worry?"

They don't seem to have worried much about protecting the information, so why start now?

Be very afraid - and very opposed - to the Teleprompter's big plans to be able to hold your healthcare data.  

It's big Brother.

It's unnecessary.

It's just a bad idea.

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