IT Pro Admits Stealing 8.4M Consumer Records

Billosaur writes "The Channel Register is reporting that a database administrator at Fidelity National Information Services, a consumer reporting agency in Florida, has admitted to stealing more than 8.4 million account records and selling them to a data broker. The DBA, William Gary Sullivan, faces up to 10 years in prison and fines of $500,000. He worked at a subsidiary of Fidelity and used his access to its database to steal customer names, addresses and financial account information, then used a business he incorporated to sell the list to an accomplice, who eventually sold it to direct marketing firms."

Comments

Let's just assume...

[TheMeuge]

Given the number of these news lately, let us just assume that EVERYONE'S personal information has been compromised. The problem is that the only way to combat identity theft, is to have a way of positively identifying any person. The trouble with that, is that it would require a single entity (presumably government) to store (and thus have access to) this information. So the question is this - what's worth more to us - financial safety, or privacy and anonymity.

Of course, this all assumes that the current financial system stays as is... when it is as much to blame for the rash of identity theft, as the thieves themselves... because it both makes it easy to establish credit, and difficult to recover one's credit and finances, once they've been compromised.

In essence, the system is structured to benefit the lenders with little regard for the clients. (yeah, i know - big surprise).

totally different organizations

[peter303]

Fidelity is a very common name in financial services.

Re:totally different organizations

[audentis]

That's because they are one of the largest financial services companies in the US. Anyone you deal with that has "Fidelity" as part of their company's name is probably a subsidiary.

While you are correct in many respects--that Fidelity Investments (FMR Corp.) has a lot of subsidiaries--this company, Fidelity National Information Systems, is NOT one of them. They are not connected in any way.

FMR Corp. is privately owned, whereas FNIS (NYSE:FIS) is publicly traded and a member of the S&P 500.

I used to work for Fidelity Investments, and even for me it was often confusing which companies were ours. But this is a clear-cut case of different companies. Just want to make sure that gets out there before people start worrying about their 401Ks.

Re:"used a business he incorporated to sell the li

[Scrameustache]

ok i'm confused. criminality has always favored the not so bright, since if you were smart enough, you'd figure out a better way to get some loot- more of it in a safer way, which usually means you'd find a legal way You're confused because your premise is faulty.
It's estimated that global organized crime reaps illegal profits of around $1 trillion per year.
That's one trillion dollars that you just can't make legally. Criminality does not favor the not so bright, the media favor the not so bright criminals, and you somehow confused their overexposition as a true representation of reality. And there's a saying that crime does not pay, which is propaganda: crime does pay, it pays a trillion dollars a year.

Re:Big Dumb Idiot Admitted It

[idontgno]

I dunno 'bout that. By admitting it, he kept his damage down to $500k. If it'd gone to trial, and he lost, I'd bet the penalties and forfeiture might have been higher.

"Why would this matter?", I can hear y'all asking. Because that's the margin between profit and loss. According to TFA, he netted $580,000 from his evildoing. After his fines and penalties, he profited $80k.

So, in this case, "4) ???" is actually "4) plead guilty". "5)" remains "PROFIT!".

You have to be marginally smart and be willing to take acceptable short-term losses in order to make crime pay. But it can be done.