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US Veterans File Class Action Lawsuit Over Stolen Data
In May, the US Department of Veterans Affairs disclosed that a major information security breach had occurred. A Veterans Affairs data analyst took home a laptop and external hard drive with the personal information (mostly name, birth date, and SSN) of about 26.5 million individuals, including veterans and active-duty military personnel. The analyst’s home was subsequently robbed, and the laptop and hard drive were stolen.
Understandably, this event has caused great concern. The laptop has not been recovered. Authorities suspect that the computer, not the data, was the target of the robbery, and that the thieves may not know of the personal information or its significance. There has been no indication yet that any of the personal information has been used for identity theft purposes. However, the potential consequences are wide-ranging and serious.
A coalition of veterans’ groups has now filed a class-action lawsuit against the US federal government, claiming that their privacy rights were violated by the theft. The suit demands that the VA fully disclose which military personnel are affected by the theft (information about the incident has been incomplete and sporadic), and seeks $1,000 in damages for each person affected. The plaintiffs also want the court to bar VA employees from using sensitive personal information until better information security safeguards are in place. The VA has stated that the employee’s actions were against VA policies, but the organization is still receiving harsh criticisms for its data security practices.
For additional information, visit:
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/editorial/14753252.htm