Study Says Veterans' Data Are at Risk (supporting the troops again)

[babylonsister]

Study Says Veterans' Data Are at Risk

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: September 19, 2007

Filed at 9:30 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Veterans' personal data and health information remain at risk of identity theft because the Veterans Affairs Department has yet to implement several safety measures, government investigators say.

The report by the Government Accountability Office, released Wednesday, comes more than one year after the VA pledged renewed security efforts after the loss of personal information for 26.5 million veterans and active-duty personnel.

It found that the VA had not yet fully secured access to its computer network and department facilities nor worked to ensure that only authorized changes and updates to VA computer programs were made.

Moreover, the VA has operated without a chief information security officer since June 2006 to oversee changes and still lacks clear and adequate procedures for quickly notifying veterans when their sensitive data is lost, the report said.

''Because these recommendations have not yet been implemented, unnecessary risk exists that the personal information of veterans and others, such as medical providers, will be exposed to data tampering, fraud and inappropriate disclosure,'' investigators said.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Vets-Identity-Theft.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1190240278-uK6WFA7Xyi+N0CTOZUgkZA