The data analyst who took the laptop home has basically been blamed for making a big mistake in doing so. Yet, according to this article, the analyst had permission since 2002 to take home his or her laptop, to use software at home which is designed to work with large databases, and to have access to social security numbers. OK, any one of those things by itself does not constitute permission to take home a huge file containing social security numbers, but taken together they pretty much do. It would be hard to argue that the analyst's supervisors did not know what he or she was doing.
Data on stolen VA laptop supposedly not accessed
Data on stolen VA laptop supposedly not…
Data on stolen VA laptop supposedly not accessed
The data analyst who took the laptop home has basically been blamed for making a big mistake in doing so. Yet, according to this article, the analyst had permission since 2002 to take home his or her laptop, to use software at home which is designed to work with large databases, and to have access to social security numbers. OK, any one of those things by itself does not constitute permission to take home a huge file containing social security numbers, but taken together they pretty much do. It would be hard to argue that the analyst's supervisors did not know what he or she was doing.