FEMA exposed personal data on 2.3 million disaster survivors, violated privacy law, IG finds - CyberScoop - [https://www.cyberscoop.com/fema-exposed-personal-data-2-3-million-disaster-survivors-violated-privacy-law-ig-finds/]

FEMA exposed personal data on 2.3 million disaster survivors, violated privacy law, IG finds - CyberScoop - [https://www.cyberscoop.com/fema-exposed-personal-data-2-3-million-disaster-survivors-violated-privacy-law-ig-finds/]: The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency exposed personally identifiable data about more than 2 million disaster survivors in violation of a federal privacy law, an inspector general’s investigation has found. The negligence leaves the survivors of hurricanes Irma, Harvey, and Maria, as well as the 2017 California wildfires, at increased risk of experiencing identity theft and fraud schemes, the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general (IG) said in a report published Friday. In “direct violation” of federal requirements, FEMA released the personal data to a contractor administering a disaster relief program that helps survivors find temporary lodging at hotels, the IG said. The report redacted the name of the contractor. “During our ongoing audit of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Transitional Sheltering Assistance program, we determined that FEMA violated the Privacy Act of 1974 and Department of Homeland Security policy,” the inspector general said in its report. Details about possible …

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