Information Technology

VA serves Veterans and their families by maintaining robust information security controls, utilizing a multi-layered, “defense in depth,” approach to securing Veteran data. However, no organization, no matter how advanced its safeguards, is immune to risks associated with simple human error. When an incident that violates a VA security or privacy policy occurs and VA safeguards fall short, VA has a comprehensive incident response plan to proactively address the situation and limit risk and recovery time.

VA holds personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) for nearly 9 million Veterans, and we take that very seriously. We know that this sensitive information holds the key to the livelihood and well-being for those that have given so much to this country. Information security and privacy are top priorities for VA, and our employees treat protecting Veteran information as both a professional and personal concern.

As our world becomes increasingly connected, protecting sensitive information is more important now than ever before. VA has an obligation to safeguard the data we hold on Veterans, and we take that obligation seriously by making information security and privacy a top priority. VA employs progressive security measures to protect data and secure the VA network and its information technology (IT) systems through a “defense in depth” approach.

In the VA Office of Information and Technology (OI&T), women play a significant role in achieving VA’s goals. In fact, more than 25 percent of VA OI&T’s Senior Executive Service positions are held by women. Compare that to private industry, where, according to the Center for American Progress, women hold only nine percent of management positions in the IT field and account for just over 14 percent of executive officer positions at Fortune 500 companies. Women in IT leadership at VA spearhead some of the agency’s crucial missions, such as ensuring the security of Veteran health information, implementing VA’s electronic health record, transforming Veterans benefits delivery, managing how IT dollars are spent, and gathering and analyzing IT data.