Perimeter E-Security exposes top 10 biggest computer security breaches of 2009

Perimeter E-Security, announced the top 10 biggest cyber information security breaches and blunders of 2009. According to chief technology officer, Kevin Prince, there is a common thread between all of these incidents: they could have been avoided.

"2009 has been a year full of data breaches, compromises and exposures all around cyber-criminality. These incidents could have been prevented by adopting basic security standards and embracing a culture of security," said Prince. "Most companies actually know exactly where they lack security and where their gaps and exposures are."

The list is lead by one of the nation's leading payment processors, with official court proceedings report that 130 million records were compromised, E-Security said.

Following that company were social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace, which have had security breaches ranging from individual accounts being compromised to various phishing and virus issues, with more expected in 2010.

Some of the others making the not-so-desirable list were California University (160,000 records hacked), Virginia Department of Health (hackers demanded $10 million dollars ransom for the return of records) and a man who sent spyware to his girlfriend, who opened the email on her work computer resulting in a data security breach on a major children's hospital network.