**GAO-07-1264T**                      Published: Sep 26, 2007. Publicly Released: Sep 26, 2007.                  

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## Highlights

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has encountered numerous challenges in managing its information technology (IT) and securing its information systems. In October 2005, the department initiated a realignment of its IT program to provide greater authority and accountability over its resources. The May 2006 security incident highlighted the need for additional actions to secure personal information maintained in the department's systems. In this testimony, GAO discusses its recent reporting on VA's realignment effort as well as actions to improve security over its information systems. To prepare this testimony, GAO reviewed its past work on the realignment and on information security, and it updated and supplemented its analysis with interviews of VA officials.

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## Topics

Information Technology

AccountabilityAgency evaluationInformation managementInformation securityInformation systemsInformation technologyPerformance measuresProgram evaluationProgram managementRisk managementSchedule slippagesVeteransGovernment agency oversightProgram coordinationProgram implementation