After the massive data theft from an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Richard Romley, a former attorney general of Maricopa County, Ariz., was named as the new special adviser for information security, Computerworld reports.Computerworld also reports the VA stated that it is going to fire the analyst who took the information home, where it was stolen.Named by Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Nicholson, Romley will report directly to Nicholson and will be responsible for reviewing the VA’s current policies and procedures and recommending changes for improving the agency’s information security, the article states. Romley is a Vietnam War veteran.Nicholson announced that there would be several personnel changes in the VA’s Office of Policy and Planning, including the termination of the analyst. He also announced that acting Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning Dennis Duffy has been placed on administrative leave, and his role is being assumed by current Assistant General Counsel for Management and Operations Paul Hutter, who supervised the VA’s information systems division as well as 22 regional offices and field operations, the article states.Mike McLendon, deputy assistant secretary for policy, announced his resignation effective June 2. According to Computerworld, all VA employees will be required to complete a general privacy awareness and cybersecurity training exercise by June 30 and sign a statement affirming their commitment to and understanding of their data security obligations.Keep checking in at our Security Feed page, or subscribe via RSS, for updated news coverage.Compiled by Paul Kerstein Related content feature Top cybersecurity M&A deals for 2023 Fears of recession, rising interest rates, mass tech layoffs, and conservative spending trends are likely to make dealmakers cautious, but an ever-increasing need to defend against bigger and faster attacks will likely keep M&A activity steady in By CSO Staff Sep 22, 2023 24 mins Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions brandpost Unmasking ransomware threat clusters: Why it matters to defenders Similar patterns of behavior among ransomware treat groups can help security teams better understand and prepare for attacks By Joan Goodchild Sep 21, 2023 3 mins Cybercrime news analysis China’s offensive cyber operations support “soft power” agenda in Africa Researchers track Chinese cyber espionage intrusions targeting African industrial sectors. By Michael Hill Sep 21, 2023 5 mins Advanced Persistent Threats Cyberattacks Critical Infrastructure brandpost Proactive OT security requires visibility + prevention You cannot protect your operation by simply watching and waiting. It is essential to have a defense-in-depth approach. By Austen Byers Sep 21, 2023 4 mins Security Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe