The Pentagon has confirmed that a routine check detected “unusual activity” in one of the Tricare Management Activity’s public computer servers. The event turned out to be an intrusion that compromised the personal information of an estimated 14,000 people. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs William Winkenwerder said DOD’s response was “swift and focused,” implementing enhanced security controls through the network and installing additional monitoring. The information contained in the accessed files varied, according to DOD, and investigators don’t yet know the intent of the crime or if any of the information was misused. Officials said that the TMA has sent letters to individuals who may have been affected, suggesting ways to mitigate potential identity theft.
While the Pentagon has signaled its intent to scale technology, field new systems faster, and work more with nontraditional vendors, a new report identifies persistent manufacturing capacity, resourcing, workforce, and modernization challenges that could hinder its ability to deliver on those goals.