FLASH FLASH FLASH - Security breach compromises millions of veterans' personal information

"A disc containing the personal records - including names, social security numbers, and birth dates, of about 25.6 million veterans was stolen from the home of a Veterans Administration analyst earlier this month.

That's a significant security breach - and a major windfall to cybercriminals and ID Theft professionals, if the criminals realize what they have. The fact that the VA is not revealing the date of the burglary, nor the location, nor the encryption used, suggests to me that there is little reason to believe the crooks know what they stole.

The VA is planning to notify every affected veteran as a precaution, but will not reimburse them for the cost of credit checks.

That shouldn't be a big deal. Everyone in the country is entitled to a free credit report every year under the current law.

If a pattern begins to emerge that suggests that veterans on this disc are becoming victims of identity theft, then we'll know pretty quickly.

Meanwhile, I strongly recommend every military member enroll in the "Active Duty Alert program.

Here's the straight dope, lifted directly from the Federal Trade Commission"
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