DO something when this happens to you. (Score 4, Interesting)

[shameless showoff plug] I work for an insurance company that handles large ammounts of personal data who, contrary to the current trend actually cares about data security on our laptops. I am absolutely an advocate of holding companies responsible for data theft, particularly given the options available to safeguard against it. We recently implemented hard drive encryptions software, and the implementation start to finsh took less than 2 months. It was a rediculously easy step to add a solid layer of security in the event that a laptop is stolen. The fact that this is not more widely adopted points to laziness and indifference on the part of corporate America. [/shameless showoff plug] What disturbs me as much as the frequency in which this "data loss" happens is the growing attitude that people should react to this merely by putting a hold on their credit and waiting it out. For the love of God people, when this happens to you STOP DOING BUSINESS WITH THESE INSTITUTIONS. By simply waiting it out, you are sending the message that security of personal data really isn't that important. Where's the benefit for profit-churning corporations to change their security model if loss of data does hurt them in any way? Now, if people started fleeing from companies that lost their data, then the message to rich execs would change to "Hey, if you customer data gets stolen, you will lose market share." That is guaranteed to produce a reaction. Pass the laws, avoid companies that don't secure their data, and we may actually be able to change something here.