Spam (and the malware it contains) may be a tremendous concern to most IT companies, but information from a new Trend Micro survey suggests that it has become more of a managed concern, and is being superseded as a top priority threat by another issue: data leaks. While they may or may not be intentional, data leaks have the potential to expose thousands or even millions of records to theft.

Despite growing concerns over data security, Trend Micro reports that only some 46 percent of companies even have leak prevention strategies in place. That's surprisingly few, given the string of high-profile data losses in the past 12 months. Some of these incidents might seem to focus more on device loss and less on data leaks, but in many incidents, the occurrence of one automatically results in the other. If the FBI loses 160 laptops, it has effectively leaked all of the data they collectively contain into the public domain. (link)

 
 

A new Texas law requires every computer repair technician to obtain a private investigator's license, according to a lawsuit filed in Austin. Violators can face a $4,000 fine and one year in jail, as well as a $10,000 civil penalty.

Unlicensed computer shops will have to close down until they obtain a private investigator's license.

A private investigator's license can be obtained by acquiring a criminal justice degree or by getting a three-year apprenticeship under a licensed private investigator.

According to the Institute for Justice, an Austin-based non-profit law firm, the new law also impacts consumers. Consumers who knowingly take computers to an unlicensed company for repair can face the same penalties. (link)