IT Security Addressed

From the VA:

The theft of a VA laptop containing the personal data of more than 26 million veterans in 2006 was a major breach of data security and VA took it seriously. So seriously in fact, that VA now briefs Congress monthly and posts all data breaches on www.va.gov.

From a missing computer, to the loss of a common Blackberry, or even a misdirected e-mail, VA treats each incident with a high-level of scrutiny and transparency. VA is treating these data breaches and transparency so seriously that VA CIO Roger Baker has begun monthly calls with members of the press to discuss them. As the largest health care organization in the world, with thousands of contractors, VA experiences a variety of incidents each month.

But with the exception of a few incidents every year, most of VA’s security and data breaches are not significant, but none are taken lightly. “We gain a lot with transparency,” Baker told Government Health IT about making the report public. “When you see what normally happens and how they are handled, it lends a bit of confidence what we’re going to do when more serious ones occur.”