NEWS
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
"DETROIT (AP) -- The University of Michigan confirmed Tuesday that it is investigating a leak of data in an influential economic survey.The investigation centers upon the unauthorized access and public release of mid-February estimates from the Surveys of Consumers conducted by the university's Institute for Social Research. [...]
Preliminary estimates are released to survey subscribers on the second Friday of each month and reported within minutes by major news organizations. University spokeswoman Julie Peterson said a news organization that she would not identify reported the estimates "several hours in advance of its scheduled release" on Feb. 13.
"It was accessed before we had shared it" with subscribers, Peterson said. "Somebody actually broke into the data."
Peterson said she could not comment on how the data was obtained, or on the effect the leak might have had on Wall Street. "I just can't speculate on their motive," she said. [...]
Dow Jones news service reported that the FBI was assisting the university's Department of Public Safety in the investigation. Dawn Clenney, a spokeswoman for the FBI's Detroit office, said that in accordance with bureau policy she could not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation. ... "
> Freep: "University of Michigan probing leak of consumer survey data"
Posted by Rob at 8:55 PM
