Virus Puts Massachusetts Jobless at Risk

The virus attempted to send personal information like names, addresses and Social Security numbers to criminals, but it is not clear if or how much data was successfully stolen.

By  Kara Reeder | May 18, 2011
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According to boston.com, up to 210,000 unemployed Massachusetts residents may be at risk after a virus was discovered in state labor department computers four weeks ago. The virus attempted to send personal information like names, addresses and Social Security numbers to criminals, but it is not clear if or how much data was successfully stolen. 

CNET News reports that the W32.QAKBOT data-stealing virus infected as many as 1,500 computers. Only information that was manually entered into an infected computer between April 19 and May 13 is at risk. Still, John Glennon, chief information officer for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, says the number of people affected is likely a small fraction of the total number of potential victims. 

GovInfoSecurity says the breach is being investigated by the Massachusetts' attorney general.

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