Richard Cipolla

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Since the end of 2018, the Federal Trade Commission has reportedly been considering how to strengthen the injunctive relief imposed in orders in data security cases.  The FTC began its evaluation with a public hearing in December 2018 on data breaches and data breach assessments.  Several months later, in March 2019, the Commission issued a statement explaining that it was examining the obligations in its orders in data security cases and mandating “new requirements” while “anticipat[ing] further refinements.”  Thereafter, the FTC ultimately issued seven data security orders with specific data security practices and obligations that differed markedly from past orders.
Continue Reading FTC Summarizes a Year of Change in its Data Security Orders

On Tuesday, November 12, 2019, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (“FTC” or “Commission”) announced a proposed settlement with InfoTrax Systems, L.C. (“InfoTrax”), a third-party service provider, regarding multiple data security failures.  As a result of these security shortcomings, a hacker accessed about one million consumers’ sensitive personal information after more than twenty intrusions into InfoTrax’s network.  This settlement marks one of the first instances in which the FTC has alleged a violation of the FTC Act predicated solely upon the failure to maintain reasonable security measures by a third-party service provider.  The settlement is also notable for a Commissioner’s concurring statement criticizing the settlement’s standard twenty-year term.
Continue Reading Latest FTC Data Privacy Settlement May Signal More Direct Approach to Regulating Data Security

A pair of recent enforcement actions by the CFTC and New York Attorney General’s Office (“NYAG”) show that both federal and state authorities are pursuing cases against companies believed to have insufficient data security practices, even in the absence of breaches resulting in harm to customers.

First, late last month, the CFTC entered into a settlement with a registered futures commission merchant that allegedly failed to diligently supervise an unnamed “IT Provider.”  The IT Provider inadvertently introduced a vulnerability to the merchant’s network, exposing private customer records and sensitive information, including personally identifiable information.  An unnamed “Third Party” detected the vulnerability and accessed nearly 100,000 files containing sensitive information.  The Third Party eventually contacted the merchant and federal authorities to disclose vulnerability, and deleted the data.  It appears that the data was not otherwise improperly accessed.
Continue Reading Recent Enforcement Actions by Regulators Show Continued Focus on Cybersecurity and Data Protection Issues

In late November, the Second Circuit issued a summary order in Vigil v. Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc,[1] which affirmed the dismissal of a class action lawsuit brought in the Southern District of New York under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”) for lack of standing.[2]  In doing so, the court followed established Second Circuit precedent and highlighted the continuing difficulties plaintiffs face in establishing standing for certain technical violations of data privacy statutes, when those violations are unaccompanied by allegations of a breach or likelihood of improper access.  The case also serves as a reminder that as states pass statutes covering new types of technology and data, companies will need to remain vigilant in protecting a wider range of information than before.
Continue Reading Second Circuit Issues Order Affirming Dismissal of Data Privacy Class Action Suit

A recent enforcement action by the Massachusetts’s Attorney General Office (“Mass. AG”) serves as a stark reminder of how important it is to have robust data security policies and practices in all respects, including with respect to company equipment and locally stored data.
Continue Reading Massachusetts Attorney General Settles For Data Breach Over Stolen Laptop—Sign of Increased Enforcement Scrutiny?

Earlier this month, on November 2, New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced that he was working with New York state legislators to introduce comprehensive new legislation to address data breaches and data privacy.  After pointing to the Equifax breach as the impetus of the legislation, the Attorney General’s Office also explained that it had received over 1,300 data breach notifications in 2016, affecting 1.6 million New Yorkers.  To address these issues, the proposed Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security (SHIELD) Act would require companies to take steps to protect private information, broadens the type of private information covered, and increases potential penalties for failures to comply with the law.  This post summarizes the key aspects of the proposed legislation, and compares it to other recently enacted data privacy legislation.
Continue Reading In Wake of the Equifax Breach, New York’s Attorney General Proposes New, Stricter Data Privacy Law

On August 21, 2017, Delaware Governor John Carney signed legislation requiring companies to comply with additional data security and breach obligations if they do business in Delaware or maintain personal information on Delaware residents.   Among other things, the new Delaware law requires all companies doing business in Delaware to implement and maintain reasonable security to…