Barnini Chakraborty has an update on the Veterans Administration e-benefits website breach reported here recently:
The VA issued a statement Friday afternoon acknowledging the “software defect.”
“VA took immediate action upon discovering the software defect and shut the eBenefits system down in order to limit any problems,” the agency said.
It also said that the VA’s independent Data Breach Core Team would conduct a full review and that based on the number affected by the problem, the VA “will take the appropriate response, which may include free credit monitoring for the affected individuals.”
An official said up to 5,351 people may have been impacted, out of a total 3.38 million users. A “final determination” on the number affected has not yet been made.
I’m not sure I understand why the would make a determination of what is an appropriate response based on the number affected by the problem. Whether it’s one veteran or one thousand, if they have been put at risk and should be offered free credit monitoring, then do so, regardless of the number affected.
Read more on Fox News. The VA still has not responded to two email requests to it for information on how this breach occurred and when it first occurred.