Data on 26 million veterans stolen from home

CNN ^ | May 22, 2006 | CNN

[sergey1973]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Personal information on 26.5 million veterans was stolen from the home of a data analyst in what appears to have been a random burglary, Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson said Monday.

The computer records include names, Social Security numbers and dates of birth, Nicholson said. The Department of Veterans Affairs disclosed the theft Monday and said it has seen no indication that the information has been misused.

[sergey1973]

For Heaven's sake, when there will be encryption implemented for the personal records of Veterans or simply ordinary folks whose data is collected in Social Security Administration, IRS and other Government agencies... Simply outrageous

[Paleo Conservative]

Why the hell was that kind of data at someone's house?

[Delta 21]

You expect too much!


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[sergey1973]

I'm a wrong person to ask--it's simply outrageous that such data can be taken to a private home to work on some project. It's not enough to have hackers around attacking Governmental Websites. It's necessary to increase the risk by letting employees to take unencrypted and unprotected data disks home.

[livius]

He wasn't supposed to take it home, although I can't imagine how he even got out the door with it. Obviously, nobody pays any attention to the security of the information.

And as for the burglary being random, as they immediately assured us, I doubt it. What kind of burglar breaks into a house and "randomly" steals a couple of computer disks?

[sergey1973]

Right--the government with trillion dollar budget is still too poor to put some damn crypt program to encrypt personal data of Vets, Taxpayers, etc. -:))))

When I pay at the pump in BP Amoco, Shell, SuperAmerica--I'm getting only last 4 digits of Credit Card Number printed. So they could encrypt the data, but the US Government can't. Maybe we need to ask Oil companies run the country directly -:)))))


Just a wacky thought -:))))

[Delta 21]

.....and its free!

[R.W.Ratikal]

Everyone who believes that these data were stolen in a "random burgary" hold up your paw.

[A CA Guy]

The dweeb never should have had this stuff in his unsecured home and should get the brig for 30 years IMO.

[big'ol_freeper]

Ping

[Jonah Johansen]

Names, address and phone numbers of 250,000 Miami residents found in book hanging from a chain near a pay phone at airport.