Aetna accidentally exposed customer HIV statuses in clear envelope windows

Re:Aetna accidentally exposed customer HIV statuses in clear... by chimeracoder on Friday August 25, 2017 @11:26AM (#15099084)

Note that the USPS also scans and stores images of the front and back of all mail it delivers, even if you don't opt in for their digital delivery service[0]. So this means that the USPS - and anybody else with access to their images, which includes law enforcement - now knows the HIV status of these people.

[0] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/03/us/postal-service-confirms...

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Re:Aetna accidentally exposed customer HIV statuses in clear... by ianmiers on Friday August 25, 2017 @03:23PM (#15101425)

Scarier point: USPS probably knows without that. If these letters are sent out in batches and the envelopes/timing/vender is unique, then all it takes is knowing that 1 letter is abut HIV and then you know all of them are without ever seeing the content.

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Re:Aetna accidentally exposed customer HIV statuses in clear... by SomeStupidPoint on Friday August 25, 2017 @03:57PM (#15101676)

At USPS scale, wouldn't the density of the letters versus public statistics on disease prevalence be a strong indication?

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Re:Aetna accidentally exposed customer HIV statuses in clear... by bgirard on Friday August 25, 2017 @11:45AM (#15099297)

And I've seen a new complex in the bay where, for reasons unknown to me, it shows you the scans of all your neighbors.

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Re:Aetna accidentally exposed customer HIV statuses in clear... by jacquesm on Friday August 25, 2017 @05:35PM (#15102429)

This comment begs expansion.

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Re:Aetna accidentally exposed customer HIV statuses in clear... by jubabuba on Friday August 25, 2017 @11:45AM (#15099295)

In practice USPS/law enforcement will have this image data but they will not parse it for some time (if ever).

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Re:Aetna accidentally exposed customer HIV statuses in clear... by checker on Friday August 25, 2017 @01:06PM (#15100184)

AFAIK in this case law enforcement is the Inspection Service which is part of USPS; if images are divulged to any other agency, it's through USPSIS.

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