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Criminal Defense Attorney Robert King Discusses Securus Security Breach

In this era of swift technological advances, it would be easy to simplify the recent hacking of Securus as another textbook example of how sensitive information can be compromised by cyber criminals. However, there is another dynamic to this crime that needs to be addressed. Due to providing service at a reduced cost, Securus became solely responsible for the phone system of the New York Department of Corrections. This introduces many concerns about the choices made by the New York Department of Corrections when deciding between proposals based on financial and security options.

In a recent interview with investigative reporter Berkeley Brean from News10NBC, our very own Attorney Robert King made a point to comment on how the victims of this crime have not only suffered the loss of their personal information, but are also the victims of a greater systemic issue.

WHERE IS THE LINE BETWEEN COST AND SECURITY?

When a loved one is in jail, families and friends are allowed limited interactions that are ultimately controlled by the Department of Corrections. Prior to making any phone calls, they are required to make an account in Securus with prepaid or direct billing options. Unfortunately, due to the recent security breach, all of this personal and financial information was stolen. In the news report released by News10NBC, Attorney King questioned the quality of the service Securus provides as a vendor chosen for its price rather than its ability to protect client information:

“I think the overarching theme, the problem here is you have people who are in a jail and they don’t have a choice. And these families, they don’t have a choice about how they interact with people they know, care about and love. You make an assumption that as a consumer that the state is behind this, that this is a state organization and really what you have is a subcontractor and we have a question now — what’s the quality of the subcontractor? What kind of protection is this subcontractor using?”

As a vendor, Securus is responsible for not only providing phone service to correctional facilities, but also for protecting the information of the clientele required to use its services. Likewise, the New York Department of Corrections is responsible for providing a service that can protect the people who are contacting their loved ones.

So where is the line between cost and security?

THE FUTURE OF INTERNET CRIME

As technology continues to advance, internet crimes including hacking, identity theft, and fraud inevitably evolve as increasing threats to public security. As a result, a growing number of arrests are made each year to combat the rise of cybercrimes. The Securus security breach is a unique scenario of negligence that questions which entity is grossly at fault.

If you find yourself needing defense in a case involving federal internet crime, please contact us at (585) 270-8882 so we can review your case.

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