Apple Macs Banned

[nihil]

Employees who store medical records on laptops must use systems that run either on Microsoft's Windows operating system or Linux.

Article is here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1997457/posts

In the wake of a widely publicized security breach that left thousands of patient records exposed, the federal government's National Institutes of Health is forbidding all employees who use Apple's MacBook laptops from handling sensitive data as of Friday, InformationWeek has learned. Employees at the health agency who store medical records and other personal information on laptops must use systems that run either on Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT)'s Windows operating system or Linux, according to an agency memo.

Apparently the underlying issue is that the PointSec security software won't run on them, and that happens to be the NIH "standard".

[Tachyon]

So PointSec is the full disk encryption software? (Not exactly spelled out on their site).

I guess 2 points:

1) Why is NIH allowing non-standard laptops on their networks, or handling their information. Is NIH handing out MacBooks?

2) If their are handing out MacBooks for official use, why not then load Windows in bootcamp, then load the disk encryption software? (Or freeze the current mac inventory)


Very odd.

[rcgreen]

I can just see it now. A newbie logs on to Antionline:

<in my dreams> Hi, I work for NIH and I forgot my disk
encryption password. Anybody know how to crack it?
If I can't get back into this laptop I could lose my job</in my dreams>

[isildur]

And of course Macs come with the built in ability to encrypt each account via Filevault. But not likely to work with their system or meet their requirements.

I would also think that they would have a standard hardware, os, software package. Of course this is the government (sic) that we are talking about.

[cross]

keeping the sensitive data on a secure server instead of letting users run around with it on laptops seems a better way to go to me...
Am I the only one that see's having that data on a portable machine as a problem?

[oofki]

Id think so too cross... Should have to VPN in and everything should be stored on a Celera IMO

[nihil]

Celera? hmmmmm............

Do you think that they could follow the instructions?

http://www.cbcb.umd.edu/research/CeleraAssembler.shtml

My attempt at vaguely medically related humour

keeping the sensitive data on a secure server instead of letting users run around with it on laptops seems a better way to go to me...
Am I the only one that sees having that data on a portable machine as a problem?

No, I feel exactly the same................ anyways, why do they need a laptop? why do they need all that information?............... don't they know how to hire people who can set up a secure network?

@ rcgreen:

Ack! phttt!

Hi, I work for NIH and I forgot my disk
encryption password. Anybody know how to crack it?
If I can't get back into this laptop I could lose my job

Bring it on!!!!!................ this could be the revival of the "old AO" ???



@ isildur (//off topic) Your avatar looks familiar............... is it the "chariot" in Chinese chess?

[isildur]

I was doing a google image search for isildur and that was an image that showed up. Not sure why but I thought it was kinda kewl...