The Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-452), as amended, requires that the Inspector General report semiannually to the Congress on the activities of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) during the 6-month periods ending March 31 and September 30. This Semiannual Report presents the activities and accomplishments of the U.S. Department…

"Cookies" are tiny Web browser helpers and are an example of how the useful can get tossed in with the dangerous through the near hysteria brought about by the real threats of computer viruses, hacking, spyware, spam and phishing. This article briefly discusses antispyware legislation by Congress and the pros and cons of past and future…

In the United States, electronic signatures recently became as legally binding as printed signatures. Reviews the status of electronic signatures in the United States, and compares it to work done by the United Nations. Summarizes the technology that can be used to implement electronic signatures. Discusses problems and open issues surrounding the…

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 (PL. 104-191) is a multitiered, comprehensive, convoluted, and controversial federal law for sweeping health care reform. Although HIPAA is dramatically broader in scope than privacy protections for health care information, a provision for privacy in the form of a Privacy Rule…