JPL workers call for probe into NASA personal data breach

Workers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge are calling for a congressional investigation into a NASA data breach that compromised the personal information of thousands of NASA workers.

On Oct. 31, a NASA laptop was stolen from a parked car in Washington, D.C. NASA workers whose unencrypted information was on that computer were not immediately informed, but have since received notification from the space agency that data gathered for background checks conducted on them by the Department of Homeland Security had been compromised.

Dan Stormer, a Pasadena attorney who in the past has represented NASA workers over security breaches, has sent a letter to several members of Congress, including Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park), Buck McKeon (R-Santa Clarita) and David Dreier (R-San Dimas), demanding a probe.

“It is outrageous that low-risk employees have to needlessly reveal highly personal information," Stormer said in a statement. "To add insult to injury, NASA recklessly allows repeated releases of this private information. This is a scandal and a shame.”

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-- Bill Kisliuk, Times Community News

Photo: Scientists work inside the Spaceflight Operations Facility for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory at JPL in Pasadena in August. Credit: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times