Fergie's Tech Blog

VA Ends Projects After Data Breach

An AP newswire article by Ben Evans, via The Boston Globe, reports that:

Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson has stopped activities at seven specialized research centers across the country after an unprotected computer hard drive disappeared from one of the facilities in Alabama last month.

In an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press, Nicholson called the department's latest data breach "tragic" and ordered the VA's Research Enhancement Award Programs to shut down until they are certified as meeting security standards.

The research centers focus on studies involving large amounts of data. The center in Birmingham, called the Deep South Center on Effectiveness, collects data for improving quality of care.

Writing to VA's top management on Thursday, Nicholson also said the department would begin unannounced inspections at VA sites nationwide.

posted by Fergie @ 2/16/2007 03:10:00 PM