Warning! Ebenefits Not Secure Site

[WAC-Vet75]

I just went to ebenefits to check on my claim.... Somehow, without logging in, I was able to go to "claim status", noticed that the dates were wrong, then looked and saw I was signed in as Dennis Houser, NOT me, and the claim is in Philadelphia, NOT where I live, nor where my claim is pending! I wonder if someone is presently accessing my records.......

[deanbrt]

And now it is down. Maybe that is why.....

I just went to ebenefits to check on my claim.... Somehow, without logging in, I was able to go to "claim status", noticed that the dates were wrong, then looked and saw I was signed in as Dennis Houser, NOT me, and the claim is in Philadelphia, NOT where I live, nor where my claim is pending! I wonder if someone is presently accessing my records.......

[WAC-Vet75]

Amazing how a Government site could be so screwed up! Not cool finding out that the security is so poor. I should NEVER have been able to view another Veteran's information and now am very concerned about who could be viewing my information. Pay information gives financial institution......can financial institutions be changed via the website? I feel this is a major breech of security.

[COOL BREEZE]

That is so strange because e-benefits is down. You call the 800# and they tell you to check your status on line!

[Vync]

Amazing how a Government site could be so screwed up! Not cool finding out that the security is so poor. I should NEVER have been able to view another Veteran's information and now am very concerned about who could be viewing my information. Pay information gives financial institution......can financial institutions be changed via the website? I feel this is a major breech of security.

From lost or stolen laptops and hard drives containing private Veteran info, this definitely is another sign of VA trouble. I found some of another Veteran's files when I received my C-file. I contacted the VA and securely returned the documents along with a letter complaining about documents which I know were in my records, but are not there any more. I did not expect the VA to do anything.

Accessing someone else's information on Ebenefits definitely takes the cake. They must have had a serious problem with their databases, or "had their wires crossed", for this to happen. If I recall, when you login to Ebenefits, it displays the date and time of when you last logged in. If you remember the last time you logged in, keep that info handy, especially if it is different the next time you log in. Better database designers audit or track each time certain records, like logins, are accessed and might be able to pinpoint it to a specific person or system. It also helps them to debug problems such as this and get the systems back online, hopefully repaired and secure. If you have not yet done so, call the Ebenefits hotline number currently displayed on the site and report what happened, or maybe take up the issue with the VA OIG. This will help them identify the scope of their mistake. At minimum, I would hope for a VA press release involving free credit monitoring for a year of violated accounts.

[carlie]

My Opinion:

Once you enter the world of the www . . .

there is no privacy - and no security that can't be breeched.

[Pete53]

I consider ebenefits about the same as 800 827 1000 almost worthless.