Veterans Affairs Department to start encrypting their portable computer data

Veterans Affairs Department to start encrypting their portable computer data

The Veterans Affairs Department has said that they would begin to upgrade all of its computers with enhanced data security encryption systems.

This is to make sure that the data on veterans remain secure in cases of thefts of the hardware from the agency.

VA said in a statement that the actual encryption of notebook PCs is scheduled to begin Aug. 18 and they expect to have all their machines encrypted within a period of a month.

They just recently awarded a $3.7 million contract last week to Systems Made Simple Inc. of Syracuse to implement encryption products from GuardianEdge Technologies Inc.

SMS would now be using the GuardianEdge Encryption Anywhere Data Protection Platform for encryption of hard disks and removable storage devices. Trust Digital Mobile Edge Device Security would be used to secure personal digital assistants and smart phones.

VA secretary James Nicholson in a statement on this new development: “I have promised America’s veterans that I intend to make VA information security a model of data security and this expedited encryption program is a major step in that direction.”