TechWeb reports that a stolen UC Berekely laptop containing 100,000 student identies has been recovered. The machine's drive had been reformatted and a new operating system installed so it was impossible to ascertain whether the identies had been put to use.

The laptop made a cross-country journey when a San Francisco man, identified by the San Jose Mercury News as Shuki Alburati, 18, sold the computer to an unnamed man in South Carolina through an online auction. Alburati, who allegedly bought the laptop for $300 and sold it for $1,600, has been charged with a misdemeanor and is due back in court Sept. 30.

According to the university, Alburati's description of the woman from whom he bought the PC matches that of a woman seen leaving the campus's Graduate Division offices on March 11 with the laptop.

Alburati purchased the laptop on April 14, placed it up for sale April 19, and sold it April 22, the university's timeline showed. The unidentified South Carolina man has not been charged.

"Since the time the laptop theft occurred, campus police have learned of no pattern of identity theft or credit card fraud involving those individuals with names and Social Security numbers on the Graduate Division computer," the university said.

After the theft was disclosed, the school tried to notify as many of the 98,369 as possible via U.S. Mail and e-mail.

Identity Theft White Papers

• Identity Theft: Authentication as a Solution-Revisited - Reed Elsevier
• Identity Theft: The Internet Connection - Library of Congress
• Identity Management: Are We All on the Same Page? - National Electronic Commerce Coordinating Council
• Identicate: Real-Time Identity Authentication - CGI Group
• The Impact of HSPD-12 - Novell
• Social Security: Government and Other Uses of the Social Security Number Are Widespread - Government Accountability Office
• Offshore Outsourcing of Data Services by Insured Institutions and Associated Consumer Privacy Risks - Federal Deposit Insurance
• Privacy and Biometrics - Government of Canada
• Strong Authentication - Broadening Market Attracts Competitors - America’s Growth Capital
• California Enacts Data Transfer and Security Restrictions - Foley & Lardner