Stolen VA Laptop

[eyec]

from the Washington Post article:
"A preliminary review of the equipment by computer forensic teams has determined that the data base remains intact and has not been accessed since it was stolen," the FBI said in a statement. "A thorough forensic examination is underway, and the results will be shared as soon as possible."

ok, what's wrong with this picture?

 

[Trevoke]

Don't you know that you can tell whether a database has been accessed or not by looking at the computer?

"That time in Seattle... was a nightmare. I came out of it dead broke, without a house, without anything except a girlfriend and a knowledge of UNIX."
"Well, that's something," Avi says. "Normally those two are mutually exclusive."
-- Neal Stephenson, "Cryptonomicon"

 

[zarkon4]

The VA had sent me a letter informing me that my personel info was on it. Anyone else get that letter?

 

[eyec]

got mine a couple weeks ago

 

[bitsnbytz]

I think that the report from CBS is a little more clear, through the lack of evidence of tampering they believe that the laptop has not been accessed.

Lack of evidence could be: Modification date of the DB file unchanged since loss date. Laptop logs do not show access since loss date. Case tampering not evident.

Of course, someone that targeted the information could have easily removed the HD and copied it. But it was very likely a stupid criminal that was looking to make a quick buck for his next fix...

Article Excerpt below:

Regarding the original VA data loss, CBS News Capitol Hill correspondent Bob Fuss reports the FBI says it has no evidence that the burglars got inside the laptop and saw any of the names and Social Security numbers.

Nicholson says VA officials are still studying that and can't say with certainty the danger of ID theft has passed, reports Fuss. The government plans to provide free credit monitoring to all 26 million veterans and active duty personnel. But if this initial FBI report is right, those affected might not need them, Fuss reports.