LexisNexis CEO denies laptop theft allegations

Andy Prozes, CEO of LexisNexis, has denied his companys involvement in the recent theft of two laptop computers detailing personal information about commercial drivers in the US, who transport hazardous material.

New Delhi, Oct 20 : Andy Prozes, CEO of LexisNexis, has denied his company's involvement in the recent theft of two laptop computers detailing personal information about commercial drivers in the US, who transport hazardous material.

Two laptop computers, with detailed personal information about commercial drivers across the US who transport hazardous materials had been reported as "missing and considered stolen" recently.

The laptops belonged to a contractor working for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in Washington.

They contained the names, addresses, birthdays, commercial driver's license numbers and, in some cases, Social Security numbers of as many as 3,930 people, as mentioned in an October 12 letter from TSA to lawmakers.

A report in the Washington Post had named LexisNexis as the main contractor for the TSA program called the Hazardous Materials Endorsement Threat Assessment.

It collects information for security-clearance purposes for any driver who transports hazardous material.

LexisNexis is a leading provider of information and services solutions catering to a wide range of professionals in the legal, risk management, corporate, government, law enforcement, accounting and academic markets.

Speaking to ANI in an exclusive interview in New Delhi on Friday, Prozes said the newspaper in question, the Washington Post, had also carried a corrected version later.

"Those were not LexisNexis computers. That's not correct. That story was corrected. It had nothing to do with LexisNexis. We were not the contractors," said Prozes.

Whilst Prozes denied any involvement in the theft of these two laptops, he clarified that such 'mishaps' had occurred with LexisNexis before this.

"So I don't want to say that our record is absolutely without mishaps, because we have had mishaps. But on that particular occasion, I can tell you that that story in the final edition of the Washington Post was corrected. And LexisNexis is not involved in that," he added.

Earlier this year, TSA lost a computer hard drive with sensitive bank and payroll data for over 100,000 employees.

ANI