The United States Digital Service (USDS) recently terminated dozens of employees, including Jonathan Kamens, the sole member of the USDS engineering team dismissed in these cuts. Kamens served as the security lead for the Department of Veterans Affairs website, VA.gov, a critical digital platform that connects veterans with their benefits and safeguards sensitive personal data, such as medical records. In the past year, VA.gov catered to over 20 million registered users and facilitated more than 53 million transactions. Kamens played a pivotal role in overseeing protective upgrades and managing services from third-party security vendors, working on urgent projects to fortify veterans' data security.
Despite the significance of Kamens' work, the Department of Veterans Affairs has not commented on changes in cybersecurity staffing for VA.gov. This development comes amid broader workforce reductions, with over 1,000 employees laid off from the VA last week. The USDS was absorbed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) last month, an agency focused on streamlining government operations, which may not align with the specific needs of the VA.
Kamens expressed concerns about the impact of his firing on the security of veterans' services. He stated that the workload was already overwhelming and feared that without his contributions, VA.gov's cybersecurity measures would suffer.
“There was always too much work to do and not enough people to do it, and now all of a sudden I’m gone. DOGE is all about efficiency, and that is not going to make VA more efficient.” – Jonathan Kamens
Kamens' dismissal has raised questions about the priorities of DOGE and its approach to efficiency. While Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins emphasized President Trump's focus on improving efficiency, Kamens believes that prioritizing efficiency over security could jeopardize veterans' personal information.
“President Trump's looking for efficiencies so that we can do our job better.” – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins
In a virtual press conference hosted by Senator Patty Murray, former federal workers from her state who were recently terminated discussed the potential ramifications of these cuts. The full impact on both VA and USDS operations remains uncertain as stakeholders assess the situation.
Kamens had been vocal about his concerns regarding DOGE's methods in the weeks leading up to his termination, prompting speculation that his criticisms may have influenced his firing. His primary concern during his tenure at the VA was preventing veterans' personal health information (PHI) and personally identifiable information (PII) from being improperly accessed or disclosed.
“My biggest concern that I was trying to address in my time at the VA related to personal health data and personal information, PHI and PII, ending up in places they weren’t supposed to be.” – Jonathan Kamens
The stakes are high, as Kamens warned that sensitive data in the wrong hands could cause significant harm. His departure raises alarms about potential vulnerabilities in VA.gov's cybersecurity infrastructure.
“This is sensitive data that in the wrong hands can do harm to people.” – Jonathan Kamens
Furthermore, Kamens asserted that maintaining cybersecurity standards at VA.gov requires a dedicated effort that might falter under current circumstances.
“It’s inevitable that the cybersecurity practice within VA.gov is going to suffer and that they are going to fall behind on what they are required to do in order to keep cybersecurity on VA.gov where it needs to be.” – Jonathan Kamens
Despite these challenges, Kamens remains committed to serving veterans, emphasizing that his motivations extend beyond financial considerations.
“Because I don’t care about the money. I care about serving veterans.” – Jonathan Kamens
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