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It keeps happening because there are no consequences for it happening. If the c-levels at Experian were sent to prison for a few years each time this happens,

It keeps happening because there are no consequences for it happening. If the c-levels at Experian were sent to prison for a few years each time this happens, you can bet your last dollar they'd put measures in place to prevent this sort of thing.

lbriner 4y ago
That's a nice soundbite but it doesn't work like that irl. If in some dystopian future, the C-levels could be given 2 years for what could amount to a basic human error in an otherwise well-run organisation, no-one would do the job and a whole sector of the economy would probably go bust. Having worked in a handful of companies, at least some of them try to do the job properly but are restricted by employee turnover, lack of consistent skills across the software sector, negligence at any level, incompetence - even if not malicious, tired engineers, ancient software systems that would be impossible to replace in any reason time etc.
- erwincoumans 4y ago
  Sure, but not adding the option for two-factor authentication for Experian is much worse than just a basic human error.
- wffurr 4y ago
  Simple solutions to all of these that ultimately land on the desk of leadership: >> employee turnover, lack of consistent skills across the software sector, negligence at any level, incompetence - even if not malicious, tired engineers Pay better, give raises that keep up with the market, and train your people. Basic stuff. >> ancient software systems that would be impossible to replace in any reason time etc. Second best time to start is now. Ancient software systems with tons of legacy cruft and obsolete tech aren't going to get any better. All this costs money, which is the real problem. If there's a market wide failure, as there seems to be in credit reporting, then serious consequences for cheating out on this stuff to undercut your competitors at the cost of security seems fully justified.
- ldite 4y ago
  > what could amount to a basic human error That's the point - if the C-level could go to prison then you'd find that mysteriously there were multiple overlapping systems of control implemented such that no one person could make a simple human error and expose reams of customer data: it would require systematic failure. (At that point, when safety systems are in place but fail for complicated hard to predict reasons, malicious negligence is hard to prove and executives don't go to jail.)
- jen20 4y ago
  Companies that can’t be bothered to implement basic security primitives simply do not need to exist.
- fortran77 4y ago
  How about not being able to work at a publicly traded company for 2 years?
ranko 4y ago
> It keeps happening because there are no consequences for it happening Worse than that - the consequences are positive for Experian: "For now, Rishi has decided to pay Experian $25.99 a month to more closely monitor his account for suspicious activity".
Ekaros 4y ago
We should really stop the limited liability for shareholders. You own part of company and it does something criminal. You too are going to jail. Would clean up the acts very fast.
- ajsnigrutin 4y ago
  This is stupid... I buy one stock of tesla, Elon does something bad, that I literally have no control over, and i go to jail (along with thousands of others)? Aren't CEOs paid "that much", because they carry all those responsibilites? If they're responsible enough to get so much money, they're responsible enough to deal with the consequences of fucking up.
  - Ekaros 4y ago
    Then don't buy any stock in any company you don't absolutely trust? Why should you be able to profit from Tesla's wrongdoings, but not suffer just punishment from them too?
    - _heimdall 4y ago
      Why would you absolutely trust any company? I believe the general argument here would be that if you invest in a company and they later are caught doing something illegal or unpopular, you suffer when your shares lose value.
    - macintux 4y ago
      If there's any company you absolutely trust, you're doing it wrong.
    - ajsnigrutin 4y ago
      So, which company do you absolutely trust, to buy their stocks?
    - jcranmer 4y ago
      What about ETFs and people who own those?
mhb 4y ago
It happens because the problem is poorly framed. There's no reason you should have a relationship with Experian. It has a relationship with credit grantors. If they falsely report information about you to credit grantors to your detriment, it seems like they should be liable for libel.

lbriner 4y ago

That's a nice soundbite but it doesn't work like that irl. If in some dystopian future, the C-levels could be given 2 years for what could amount to a basic human error in an otherwise well-run organisation, no-one would do the job and a whole sector of the economy would probably go bust. Having worked in a handful of companies, at least some of them try to do the job properly but are restricted by employee turnover, lack of consistent skills across the software sector, negligence at any level, incompetence - even if not malicious, tired engineers, ancient software systems that would be impossible to replace in any reason time etc.

erwincoumans 4y ago
Sure, but not adding the option for two-factor authentication for Experian is much worse than just a basic human error.
wffurr 4y ago
Simple solutions to all of these that ultimately land on the desk of leadership: >> employee turnover, lack of consistent skills across the software sector, negligence at any level, incompetence - even if not malicious, tired engineers Pay better, give raises that keep up with the market, and train your people. Basic stuff. >> ancient software systems that would be impossible to replace in any reason time etc. Second best time to start is now. Ancient software systems with tons of legacy cruft and obsolete tech aren't going to get any better. All this costs money, which is the real problem. If there's a market wide failure, as there seems to be in credit reporting, then serious consequences for cheating out on this stuff to undercut your competitors at the cost of security seems fully justified.
ldite 4y ago
> what could amount to a basic human error That's the point - if the C-level could go to prison then you'd find that mysteriously there were multiple overlapping systems of control implemented such that no one person could make a simple human error and expose reams of customer data: it would require systematic failure. (At that point, when safety systems are in place but fail for complicated hard to predict reasons, malicious negligence is hard to prove and executives don't go to jail.)
jen20 4y ago
Companies that can’t be bothered to implement basic security primitives simply do not need to exist.
fortran77 4y ago
How about not being able to work at a publicly traded company for 2 years?

ranko 4y ago

> It keeps happening because there are no consequences for it happening Worse than that - the consequences are positive for Experian: "For now, Rishi has decided to pay Experian $25.99 a month to more closely monitor his account for suspicious activity".

Ekaros 4y ago

We should really stop the limited liability for shareholders. You own part of company and it does something criminal. You too are going to jail. Would clean up the acts very fast.

ajsnigrutin 4y ago
This is stupid... I buy one stock of tesla, Elon does something bad, that I literally have no control over, and i go to jail (along with thousands of others)? Aren't CEOs paid "that much", because they carry all those responsibilites? If they're responsible enough to get so much money, they're responsible enough to deal with the consequences of fucking up.
- Ekaros 4y ago
  Then don't buy any stock in any company you don't absolutely trust? Why should you be able to profit from Tesla's wrongdoings, but not suffer just punishment from them too?
  - _heimdall 4y ago
    Why would you absolutely trust any company? I believe the general argument here would be that if you invest in a company and they later are caught doing something illegal or unpopular, you suffer when your shares lose value.
  - macintux 4y ago
    If there's any company you absolutely trust, you're doing it wrong.
  - ajsnigrutin 4y ago
    So, which company do you absolutely trust, to buy their stocks?
  - jcranmer 4y ago
    What about ETFs and people who own those?

mhb 4y ago

It happens because the problem is poorly framed. There's no reason you should have a relationship with Experian. It has a relationship with credit grantors. If they falsely report information about you to credit grantors to your detriment, it seems like they should be liable for libel.