Stolen NASA Laptop Prompts New Security Rules
A “large number” of NASA employees may be at risk following the theft of an unencrypted agency laptop and several other documents from an employee vehicle. The theft has prompted the space agency to adopt new security procedures.
“We are thoroughly assessing and investigating the incident, and taking every possible action to mitigate the risk of harm or inconvenience to affected employees,” Richard Keegan Jr., NASA’s associate deputy administrator, said in a Nov. 13 email to all NASA employees.
“The Administrator is extremely concerned about this incident and has directed that all IT security issues be given the highest priority,” Keegan said, referring to Charles Bolden Jr., NASA administrator since 2009. Last year, NASA admitted that similar data breaches had resulted in the loss or theft of 48 portable electronic devices. Among the data compromised were International Space Station command-and-control codes and employees’ personal information.
