Navy Laptops Containing Info on 30k Recruiters Stolen in New Jersey

Laptops containing personal information pertaining to more than thirty thousand Navy recruiters were stolen from Navy recruiting stations in two New Jersey cities, Trenton and Jersey City. The thefts took place in June and July. The laptops also contained data on a number of potential recruits, including, in some cases, social security numbers. The Navy has assured the public that the data was protected by passwords, and there is no indication at this time that the data has been sold or otherwise misused.



Well, it's about that time of month I guess, where another data theft story has reared its ugly head. This is happening like clockwork. These laptops are growing legs, and just walking off, two by two, all across the country...

I think it's pretty shameful that people in a position that gives them access to such information don't take their responsibility more seriously. If it was just a random theft, then there's little to worry about. However, if there was more to it, it could have serious ramifications. We don't know, in this case, why the laptops were stolen. It's easy to presume that it was just a casual theft, but how can we know? If someone was looking to cripple the armed forces, targetting recruiters would be a pretty good place to start.

Regardless of whether disaster strikes, as a result of this incident, or not, I think it behooves the armed forces and, really, any industry trafficking in sensitive information, to go to greater lengths to protect the data. I've worked in data management, and our offices took the responsibility very seriously. We weren't even working for the government, just a privately owned photography studio. But that didn't stop us from securing the data, and protecting the storage devices from theft. Seriously, it's not that hard, you just have to take the responsibility seriously. At least protect the laptops from casual thieves, that would go a long way towards reducing the number of these stories in the news.

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[edit on 26-7-2006 by WyrdeOne]

why do people have such a fascination with laptops , especially when they are clearly incapable of being trusted to look after them ? And more important , why do they need the details of all 30K recruiters ? is that the entire nations recruiters ?



[edit on 27-7-2006 by ignorant_ape]

Why is this information on a laptop at all ? It seems the same all over the world,give people a laptop and secret/important information and they seem hell bent on leaving it on the subway etc causing numerous headaches for security personnel.

[edit on 27-7-2006 by bmdefiant]

and, why is it that the media can get into so much trouble when they reveal a secret or two of the government, but the government that seems to be unable to keep anything secret gets off scott free when their laptops full of secrets disappear???

I second that. What's the purpose of storing 30000 recruiters on a laptop. Couldn't the guy store only the 3 or 4 recruiters he needed to contact, and then just make the friggin phone call if he need more listed. There is some conspiracy cooking up, they are leaking all those social security numbers for a reason.