On April 7, 2015, two U.S. companies agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) allegations that they falsely claimed to be in compliance with the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Framework and the U.S.-Swiss Safe Harbor Framework. In the concurrently filed complaints against TES Franchising, LLC (“TES”), a franchisee coaching business, and American International Mailing, a mail […]
PCI-DSS Standard Updated To Address SSL Vulnerabilities
On April 15, 2015, the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI-SSC) updated the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) from version 3.0 to version 3.1. The new version is effective immediately. PCI DSS Version 3.0 will be retired on June 30, 2015. A summary of the changes, along with the updated standard, can be found […]
FCC Adopts Consent Order with AT&T Over Alleged Data Security Violations
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced on April 8 that it had adopted a consent decree between its Enforcement Bureau and AT&T Services, Inc. (AT&T), including a civil penalty of $25 million and a requirement to adopt a comprehensive compliance plan, among other actions. The consent decree alleges that AT&T “failed to protect the confidentiality” […]
New York State Regulator to Examine Insurers on Cybersecurity Following Comprehensive Risk Assessments
On March 26, 2015, Benjamin Lawsky, Superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS), sent a letter to the CEOs, General Counsel, and Chief Information Officers of all insurers doing business in the state to inform them of a mandatory cybersecurity questionnaire and the initiation of targeted cybersecurity examinations. Approximately 160 insurers […]
FFIEC Issues Warnings on Malware and Cyber Attacks
The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) has issued two joint statements warning of specific cyber risks. The warnings, which were issued on March 30, 2015, address risks arising from destructive malware, which can destroy sensitive data, and cyber-attacks that compromise user credentials. In both statements, the FFIEC also provides guidance on how to mitigate […]