Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Veterans: Stolen info could still pose a risk
Veterans: Stolen info could still pose a risk
By Dylan T. Lovan
Associated Press
LOUISVILLE - Data thieves could have swiped personal information on millions of veterans from a stolen laptop and be waiting for the right time to use it, according to a court filing from veterans who sued last year over the highly publicized theft.
Federal officials say they are confident that no sensitive information was copied from the laptop, which was taken from a Veterans Affairs analyst's Maryland home on May 3 and recovered on June 29. The computer contained sensitive information on 26.5 million veterans in the VA's system.
The VA has asked a federal judge to throw out three suits related to the theft, including one filed in Kentucky by Paul Hackett, a Cincinnati attorney and Iraq War veteran. That suit, along with another filed in New York, has since been transferred to the federal court district in Washington. The third suit was filed in Washington by a group of Vietnam veterans.
The veterans said in a court filing Wednesday that the suits should go forward because, among other reasons, the data could have been accessed and copied by thieves without leaving any evidence of tampering. The information on the laptop included the names, birth dates and social security numbers of veterans discharged since 1975, which identity thieves could use to apply for credit cards or loans.
"The 26.5 million affected persons remain at grave risk of identity theft," attorneys wrote in the filing, which was a response to the government's motion to dismiss the suit.
Attorneys for the government said the suit should be thrown out because, among other reasons, the plaintiffs lack standing to sue under the federal Privacy Act. Charles Miller, a Justice Department spokesman, declined to comment further, saying the government's argument is contained in the 86-page motion.
"Other than the specific incident of theft that is described in the complaints, plaintiffs have failed to identify an event that has caused them harm," the motion said.
By Dylan T. Lovan
Associated Press
LOUISVILLE - Data thieves could have swiped personal information on millions of veterans from a stolen laptop and be waiting for the right time to use it, according to a court filing from veterans who sued last year over the highly publicized theft.
Federal officials say they are confident that no sensitive information was copied from the laptop, which was taken from a Veterans Affairs analyst's Maryland home on May 3 and recovered on June 29. The computer contained sensitive information on 26.5 million veterans in the VA's system.
The VA has asked a federal judge to throw out three suits related to the theft, including one filed in Kentucky by Paul Hackett, a Cincinnati attorney and Iraq War veteran. That suit, along with another filed in New York, has since been transferred to the federal court district in Washington. The third suit was filed in Washington by a group of Vietnam veterans.
The veterans said in a court filing Wednesday that the suits should go forward because, among other reasons, the data could have been accessed and copied by thieves without leaving any evidence of tampering. The information on the laptop included the names, birth dates and social security numbers of veterans discharged since 1975, which identity thieves could use to apply for credit cards or loans.
"The 26.5 million affected persons remain at grave risk of identity theft," attorneys wrote in the filing, which was a response to the government's motion to dismiss the suit.
Attorneys for the government said the suit should be thrown out because, among other reasons, the plaintiffs lack standing to sue under the federal Privacy Act. Charles Miller, a Justice Department spokesman, declined to comment further, saying the government's argument is contained in the 86-page motion.
"Other than the specific incident of theft that is described in the complaints, plaintiffs have failed to identify an event that has caused them harm," the motion said.
# posted by raveneye @ 8:54 PM 
