Case Study: A Stolen Laptop at the Department of Veterans Affairs: The Worst Data Theft Ever?

1.List and describe the security weaknesses at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The security weaknesses at the Department of Veterans Affairs are: That they allowed an employee to take home confidential and sensitive information, employees working without authorization, the operating system, password system, and detection alerts were all vulnerable to security breaches, the department delayed reporting their incidents for two weeks. These combined weaknesses allowed for information to slip into the wrong hands and be made vulnerable to theft. A tighter security system was needed top ensure information protection.

2.What management, organization, and technology factors contributed to these weaknesses?

The factors contributing to these weaknesses were from management, the organizational structure, and techoinogical applications used at the Department of Veterans Affairs. An audit recommended centralization of IT security programs, ensuring employee job description had proper rules for access, and work should be done on intrusion free systems, infrastructure protection actions, and better access controls. None were implemented. The demand for greater direct authority to enforce security policies and mandates was made apparent.

4.What solutions would you suggest to prevent these security problems?

To prevent such security problems and ensure the safety of confidential information I would recommend that the Department of Veterans Affairs keep a tighter lid on its information. This can be accomplishes by ensuring personal responsibility and authorization of any confidential material. That no material may be transmitted or saved outside of the protected network computers. That additional security systems be put into place which can recognize when material is vulnerable to theft and will notify the proper authorities. Better management is needed to ensure the facilitation of these new measures and this is vital to the success of the organization and its members.

Sources: Management Information Systems Managing the Digital Firm, tenth edition. pgs. 348-350. Laudon, Kenneth C.