Alabama PSC Admits ICS 'Filing Error,' Takes Steps To Prevent Future Breaches
The Alabama Public Service Commission is moving to prevent release of confidential data in violation of FCC protective orders, APSC Executive Director John Garner said in letter posted in inmate calling service docket 12-375 Tuesday. Responding to a Wireline Bureau…
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request for any additional information on a recent data breach in the inmate calling service proceeding, Garner acknowledged APSC official Darrell Baker had improperly submitted confidential information from Global Tel*Link and other ICS providers to the FCC’s electronic comment filing system, where it was publicly available for three hours. Even though Baker labeled the filing as confidential, it was supposed to have been submitted to the FCC Office of the Secretary. The APSC “recognizes the seriousness of the filing error” and "regrets this mistake," and has adopted measures to prevent further violations, Garner said: retraining staff on protective order rules and filing procedures, securing current confidential information until resolution of the case, preventing Baker from making filings in the ICS proceeding (as required by a recent bureau order) and requiring any future filings in the docket to be reviewed and signed by an attorney. "This incident has prompted the APSC to implement a Protective Order Compliance Protocol which will be implemented in this and all future instances involving information submitted to the APSC and its staff subject to a protective order," Garner said. "This newly implemented procedure requires preapproval from the Executive Director to submit any filing containing information that is the subject of a protective order, the submission of a draft document which must be approved by the APSC Executive Director, and the signature of the Executive Director or another APSC attorney on the document in question." Garner also said Baker reasonably didn't expect a recent email response to a bureau official to be posted in the docket, as it was (see 1509280034). The bureau has asked that any responses from Global Tel*Link or others be filed by Thursday, and said it would decide on possible additional actions after concluding its investigation (see 1509220007">1509220007).