The Veterans Affairs Department has suffered yet another high-profile data breach, as the personal information of around 4,000 veterans was compromised in two separate incidents. Both data thefts were disclosed during a hearing led by Rep. Harry Mitchell, who is the House Veterans' Affairs subcommittee chairman. 

About 600 veterans were put at risk when VA contractor Heritage Health Solutions had an unencrypted notebook stolen after a thief broke into a vehicle, it was revealed during the meeting.  Days later, a medical lab in Texas had a log book taken that contained the personal information of 3,265 veterans, but other details weren't disclosed.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) said the VA has attempted to increase security rules, but the contract between VA and Heritage Health Solutions didn't include mandatory data encryption.  Specifically, Rep. Steve Buyer (R-Ind) said 25 of 69 contracts have nothing in the contract related to encrypted data -- something that should have to change in the future, security experts said.

In late May 2006, thieves stole information on 26.5 million veterans, including Social Security numbers and birth dates, after the information was taken home without permission.  The missing laptop was recovered a month later, and two teenagers were arrested in August for the theft.  Since then, Congress has attempted to create new rules to hold the VA accountable for data thefts, though it's unknown what type of information security rules were implemented.