There’s been a lot of talk lately about Facebook and privacy. A lot… We all know about those scammers out there trying to seduce us into their lurid traps. And there have been numerous (and unfortunately, increasing) faux pas when it comes to losing or exposing sensitive data – some fairly significant and some not quite so far reaching, but nonetheless just plain stupid. Then there’s the issue of “big brother“…

If there’s a positive outcome to all the press about privacy and security it’s that we as participants in the digital age are becoming sensitized to the perils of sharing our personal information. Most of what we “share” is pretty benign. Name, birth date, graduation date, reading lists, what movies we like, etc. Stuff that really has little value or potential impact if it’s “discovered” by some nefarious person with evil intentions. We have been been trained not to share our credit card or banking information in response to strange emails. We take care in ensuring that websites are secure before we provide our credit card information. We use PayPal to build a firewall between buyer and seller. We have become savvy netizens…

What if I told you that some of your most sensitive information could be readily available to just about anyone who has a little technical prowess and a desire to mine thousands of documents that are easily obtained – all without your knowledge or consent? What if all the details of your bank accounts were available for full scrutiny? Or your income tax return? Or your medical records? How about your divorce decree? Or all the documents related to your DUI arrest? Pretty scary huh?

We’re all aware that when you sale, donate or recycle your computer that you need to erase all your personal information. We take these necessary precautions, even though much of the data is still recoverable unless you use sophisticated erasure techniques. But what about your documents that are owned by those in whom you place your trust? Your doctor? Your lawyer? Accountant? Bank? Law enforcement agencies? We assume that since there are laws on the books (e.g. HIPAA, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1984, the Electronic Communication Privacy Act of 1986, the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, etc.) that reasonable steps are taken to protect our sensitive information. And in most cases, those steps are taken. But is your personal information really safe?

Here’s an example that most of us never consider. Pretty scary when you stop and think about it. Even if you’re not copying sensitive information at work, it’s a certainty that your banker, lawyer and doctor are. Next time you’re in their office, ask them about their security practices. Don’t be bashful, it could save you a lot of grief…