<div dir="ltr"><div><b>Question 1.</b> Do I recall that this is the second such data breach in the last year? Can someone remind me of what the first one is, so we can write a letter to Vidal and the Inspector General complaining of a <i><b>pattern</b></i> instead of a single instance?</div><div><br></div><div><b>Question 2.</b> Here's a draft letter -- any refinements?</div><div><br></div><div>
<div style="margin-left:40px;font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Dear [client]:</div><div style="margin-left:40px;font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></div><div style="margin-left:40px;font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">The
attached letter from the U.S. Patent Office explains a data breach into
the Patent Office's computer systems. Our conclusion is that the risk
is minimal, and nothing can be done.</div><div style="margin-left:40px;font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></div><div style="margin-left:40px;font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Because
of a bug in the PTO's software, the serial numbers and titles of patent
applications that should have been maintained confidential may have
been exposed to unauthorized third parties. This is not the typical
kind of data breach involving an external attacker; this is a
programming bug in which the Patent Office mis-set the switches to
protect data that should have been protected. As the Patent Office
describes it, the breach is likely small \u2013 it would only have occurred
when a third party made a database query that would have included your
patent application, and the data exposed would only have been the serial
number and title of the patent application, not the remainder of the
content. The Patent Office's access logging does not record who looked
at what when, so there is no way to know whether any of your
applications are among those exposed, and if so, to whom.</div><div style="margin-left:40px;font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></div><div style="margin-left:40px;font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">The
Patent Office's letter explains that the breach was open from February 5
to March 29. The letter explains that the Patent Office's testing did
not detect or confirm the error until March 28, and the breach was
closed March 29. The letter explains that the Patent Office is
"committed to data security" but this is the second such data breach in
the last year.</div><div style="margin-left:40px;font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br>The
only likely situation in which we could see genuine harm is where the
title reveals the invention, for example, where the title names a
specific compound and its treatment indication. If you believe there
could be harm in revealing the title of any of your specific patent
applications, the PTO offers that "the USPTO will assist applicants by
confirming that the the disclosure was erroneous and inadvertent."</div>
</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sun, Apr 28, 2024 at 5:40\u202fAM Dan Feigelson via Patentpractice <<a href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com">patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><img src="https://gcfagjf.r.af.d.sendibt2.com/tr/op/xQBN7WoX4km-Hd-EOZA78xeQIYiTFH3Di1tCfsobBmQwEbfgf0vW3GIEzFijYMQW9T4twnacybyfuFHmezPuBhsEjhvGIq4gPb7HheB3l1MyaVZHZBFJvyNmbkgv5nX9nwf6Bobw8Lw06ch0QDr9CibYpzdtEMtkiFig92AI7QveU9KTOazOv_ai1qwcIo0-0np6F8wdaL4UVLJfwzdVOX9n-Vl4s--92sWV" width="1" height="1"><div dir="ltr"><div>I got the following in one of my cases. Supposedly posted yesterday (Saturday, April 27)<br></div><div><br></div><div><b>Notice of Potential Erroneous Release of Patent Application Titles</b></div><br>On February 5, 2024, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), replaced the Electronic Patent Assignment System (EPAS) and Electronic Trademark Assignment System (ETAS) with Assignment Center.<br><br>Between February 5, 2024 and March 29, 2024, the USPTO, unintentionally, through a computer programming error, permitted bibliographic information to be viewed by unauthorized individuals with access to registered Assignment Center accounts. This bibliographic information was limited to the application number (the two-digit series code plus the six-digit serial number) and title of the invention.<br><br>You are receiving this notification because your application \u2019spatent title may have been viewed during that time frame by individual(s) who lacked permission to do so . The software error was first reproduced by USPTO on March 28, 2024, and was corrected on March 29, 2024. Only application numbers and titles were disclosed; it is important to note that your specification and claims were not part of the information made available and were not accessed.<br><br>Any improper access of the application information between the dates of February 5, 2024 and March 29, 2024, is not considered a publication of such applications under 35 U.S.C. 122(b). No rights in United States patents are threatened by the access to unpublished applications. It is extremely unlikely that the title could disclose the invention in a way that would constitute patent- defeating prior art in any jurisdiction. To the extent any issue is raised, the USPTO will assist applicants by confirming that the disclosure was erroneous and inadvertent.<br><br>We\u2019re committed to data security and are taking enhanced steps to prevent incidents such as this from happening in the future. The USPTO sincerely regrets this error and is instituting more testing controls, both manual and automated testing, to prevent similar processing errors in the future.<br><br>Inquiries regarding this matter may be directed to Mark Polutta, Senior Legal Advisor, at (571) 272-7709 or Andrew Stclair, Legal Advisor, at (571) 270-0238, both of the Office of Patent Legal Administration or via email addressed to ugPto.gov.<br><br>Henry \u201cJamie\u201d Holcombe<br>Chief Information Officer<br>US Patent and Trademark Office<br>Office +1 (571)272-9400<br><br>Dated: April 27 th , 2024<div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><span><div><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div></div></div></span></div></div></div></div>
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