Unisys, working with the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the FBI, is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the recovery of a missing desktop computer that belongs to the VA.
The computer, which contains personal information on 38,000 veterans treated at VA medical facilities in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, went missing from the Reston, Va., office of Unisys, the subcontractor hired to assist in insurance collection for those facilities. Unisys publicly acknowledged the computer’s disappearance last week.
Unisys is now working with the VA’s Office of the Inspector General and FBI officials to try to determine what happened to the computer.
In a separate incident, Chevron is searching for a password-protected laptop stolen on Aug. 5 from an independent accounting firm working for it. The laptop contained the names and Social Security numbers of an undisclosed number of current and former Chevron employees, according to a statement from the company e-mailed to Computerworld.
The accounting firm, which was not identified, was analyzing data as part of Chevron’s regular efforts to demonstrate compliance with federal regulations governing employee-benefit programs, Chevron said. The theft has been reported to the appropriate authorities, and the San Ramon, Calif.-based company stressed that the laptop does not contain any information relating to its customers or transactions of any kind.
On Saturday, Chevron began notifying all current and former employees who could be affected by the theft. The company also provided credit-monitoring and identity-restoration services to all individuals who choose to use them.
On Monday, Chevron sent an e-mail to its entire U.S. workforce to alert all employees of the theft and illustrate the importance of information security.
“While Chevron is one of several companies to have sensitive data compromised as a result of the theft, we regret that this has occurred, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may create,” the company said in the statement. “Chevron is taking steps to avoid any recurrence, including reviewing and enhancing our security procedures for sharing information with outside accounting firms. We are concerned that if we provide any additional information about the theft, it may be to the advantage of whoever currently has the laptop. Accordingly, we are not providing additional information at this time.”
