People

Census Bureau accidentally exposes personal data

Personal information on 302 households was posted on a public server several times since October 2006.

Cybersecurity

VA to control, restrict use of mobile storage devices

In the next month, the Department of Veterans Affairs will let employees plug into its network only those mobile storage devices issued by the CIO’s office.

Cybersecurity

OMB: Agencies make headway with IT security

The government’s cybersecurity position has improved in the past year, but significant holes remain, report states.

People

IG: Task orders awarded were improperly in VA data theft investigation

The report by the VA's IG especially singles out Pedro Cadenas, then the VA's associate deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Cyber and Information Security.

People

More than 1 million individuals' data at risk

The VA says the missing portable hard drive used by an employee at a VA medical facility may have held sensitive information on half a million individuals and more than 1 million physicians.

Cybersecurity

Lack of info feeds public outcries about privacy, experts say

Agencies need to do a better job of letting the public know how personal data is being protected.

Digital Government

Senators introduce sweeping data protection bill

The Personal Data Privacy and Security Act of 2007 puts a heavy onus on government to ensure the protection of the the commercial data it collects.

Modernization

New House VA committee chairman laments latest laptop loss

"There is no excuse for storing sensitive personal information about our veterans on portable government equipment that is not secure,” said Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.).

Digital Government

Maine rejects Real ID

State lawmakers voted against the act because of concerns about money and whether the security of the computer-readable driver's licenses is worth the expense.

People

DOD's Grimes: Our focus is on data

DOD is concentrating on a data-centric strategy to move toward open systems based on service-oriented architecture standards, the assistant secretary said.

Cybersecurity

Subcommittee will examine information privacy, security

Rep. Clay, the new chairman of the information policy subcommittee, plans to delve into problems highlighted by incidents of information breaches in 2006.

Digital Government

Democrats put spotlight on data mining

Senate Democrats vow to investigate the Bush administration's privacy programs.

Cybersecurity

Coast Guard mandates e-mail phishing training

The move dovetails with DOD's mandatory spear phishing awareness training.

Cybersecurity

IG flags Commerce security problems

The department must improve its handling of sensitive data and revisit key systems previously certified as secure, according to the inspector general.

Cybersecurity

Security relies on policy, HUD CIO says

The biggest problem with securing personally identifiable information is knowing where the information is going and who's accountable for it, CIO Lisa Schlosser said.

Digital Government

Va. to track sex offender e-mail addresses, IM names

Under the proposal, social networking Web sites would be able to block or ban sex offenders' contact information.

Cybersecurity

GPO makes millionth e-passport

The passports contain controversial RFID tags that contain a document holder's personal information and can be scanned remotely.

Cybersecurity

Taxpayers shy from sharing info online

But they are comfortable with shopping via the Internet, a new survey found.

People

Verdict out on cameras in Supreme Court

Although legislation to allow video coverage of proceedings has been circulating since at least the 105th Congress, none of the bills has been enacted, according to a new report.

Cybersecurity

Stolen DOT computers lead to laptop theft ring

Investigators still are not certain if data on one of the laptops had been encrypted.