VA laptop found: Happy ending?

The stolen laptop with data on 26.5 million veterans and military personnel is back where it belongs.

Law enforcement officials said Thursday that an unspecified person had returned the laptop after seeing news reports on the theft and on a $50,000 reward. Veterans Affairs secretary Jim Nicholson told a House committee that the laptop was genuine and that the data--which included Social Security numbers and other personal information--apparently had not been accessed.

But the return of the missing PC hardly settles all the issues raised by the theft. The VA and government agencies generally are taking heat for lax computer security. And a recent rash of reports on disappearing data can only be stoking worries about identity theft.

"And miracle of miracles, nobody accessed all that sensitive data. Whew! And you can tell that for certain because... um... well, come to think of it, you can't. And that's why Veterans groups say they will keep pressing for improved data security - and free credit monitoring."
--Maine Democrats

"Now, the question becomes, will congress still appropriate millions of dollars for credit monitoring services to help the Vets protect themselves from ID theft."
--The TrustedID Blog

"Unfortunately this is but the tip of the iceberg and the VA got caught doing what most federal agencies do regularly, which is treat private data on citizens cavalierly."
--Rofasix

"Turns out that the analyst was the main programmer and needed access to the ssn numbers. He's also had permission since 2002 to take data home with him. He also reported the theft immediately after it was stolen, but his bosses took 3 weeks to report the laptop was stolen to the public. Now they want to fire him for illegally taking home data as well as gross negligence. Sounds like some mucky mucks are tying to cover their collective asses."
--Military Matters