Originally Posted - June 30, 2006

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BALTIMORE, MD---A laptop computer and the external hard drive containing sensitive electronic information concerning over 26 million veterans who served in the military and were discharged since 1975 has been recovered, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On May 3, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) learned that an employee, a data analyst, took home electronic data from VA that was stored in his home on a laptop computer and external hard drive. He was not authorized to take this data home.

The employee's home in the Aspen Hill area of Montgomery County, Maryland was burglarized and the computer equipment, along with various other items, was stolen. Authorities believe the computer equipment, rather than any data on it, was the target of the theft.

The Veterans Administration and FBI said the protection of the sensitive data, and well being of those potentially affected, made this investigation a number one priority for the investigating agencies. A preliminary review of the equipment by computer forensic teams determined that the database remains intact and has not been accessed since it was stolen. A thorough forensic examination is underway, and the results will be shared as soon as possible. The investigation is ongoing.

The data analyst, whom VA would not identify, had authority to access the information for his job but did not follow procedures to safeguard the data. He has been put on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, according to the VA.

The veterans' personal information that was compromised included names, Social Security numbers and dates of birth. The data contained no medical or financial information, but there may be disability numerical rankings, he said. 6-30-06

© 2006 North Country Gazette