Another NASA Laptop Holding Employees' Personal Info Goes Missing

Earlier this month, NASA announced it was stepping up its cybersecurity -- and for good reason. Not only was an unencrypted laptop with command codes to the International Space Station stolen -- it was one of 48 laptop thefts between 2009 and 2011 -- but it was revealed there was an ongoing investigation into the Chinese allegedly hacking into NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Now, confirming the need for the agency to up its security even more, reports are that NASA has lost yet another laptop. Gizmodo states that this device held information about its employees at the Kennedy Space Center:

According to an internal memo from Tracy Wetrich, NASA's HR Director, leaked to SpaceRef, the incident occurred on March 5th. The laptop contained "information on NASA KSC employees such as name, social security number, race, national origin, gender, contact phone number, e-mail, date of birth, college affiliation, and grade point average."

Gizmodo reports that the laptop is password protected, which is a first line of defense, but that might not stop a more sophisticated hacker.

According to the memo, NASA is conducting an investigation into the theft and is providing employees whose information could be compromised with identity protection services. Bay news reports that about 2,300 employees were affected.