3,800 vets affected by latest VA data breaches

[unhappycamper]

3,800 vets affected by latest VA data breaches
By Tom Spoth - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday May 19, 2010 17:42:42 EDT

More than 3,800 veterans had their personal information compromised last month in two data breaches that have led to renewed criticism of the Veterans Affairs Department’s data security.

On April 22, an unencrypted laptop belonging to VA contractor Heritage Health Solutions was stolen from a vehicle, compromising the records of more than 600 veterans, Rep. Harry Mitchell, chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs subcommittee on oversight, said at a hearing Wednesday.

And on April 24, a log book vanished from a medical lab that contained the records of 3,265 veterans.

Both incidents were related to VA facilities in Texas.

VA has made progress in the last four years on information security, but the recent breaches indicate that more needs to be done, lawmakers and representatives from the Government Accountability Office and the VA inspector general’s office said at the hearing.