Source: Theft of vets' data kept secret for 19 days

[Canuck_Buck]

[&:]WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Authorities waited almost three weeks to alert the public that personal data on more than 26 million U.S. veterans had fallen into the hands of thieves, a government source said Tuesday.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/05/23/vets.data/index.html

The data were on a laptop and external drive stolen May 3 in an apparent random burglary from the Montgomery County, Maryland, home of a Department of Veterans Affairs computer analyst, said the government source, who has been briefed on the issue.

Why the heck did this analyst have government information on his laptop at home?

[Aught Six]

Why the heck did this analyst have government information on his laptop at home?

Because they're idiots, and because security is not enforced.

There's definitely something in Montgomery County water, so that may a little to do with it as well.

[Canuck_Buck]

There's a 1-800 number for vets to call ...

[kevin1]

But the missing information could be gold for electronic identity thieves, who operate hundreds of Internet sites where personal information is bought and sold.
"It's a pretty dire situation," said Rutrell Yasin, technology editor of Federal Computer Week, which covers computer and information technology issues in the federal government. "You have to hope that information is not in the hands of people who know what to do with it."

Gee , I wonder if they know now ?