A hacker stole a file containing the names and Social Security numbers of 1,500 people working for the Energy Department’s Nuclear Weapons Agency.

But in the incident last September, somewhat similar to recent problems at the Veterans Affairs Department, senior department officials were told only two days ago, officials told a congressional hearing Friday. None of the victims was notified, they said.

The data theft occurred in a computer system at a service center belonging to the National Nuclear Security Administration in Albuquerque, N.M. The file contained information about contract workers throughout the agency’s nuclear weapons complex, a department spokesman said.

These are the folks charged with watching over the world’s biggest stockpile of nuclear warheads and bombs. They can make a pretty big “oops”.

NNSA Administrator Linton Brooks told a House hearing that he learned of the security break late last September, but did not inform Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman about it. It had occurred earlier that month.

Bodman first learned of the theft two days ago, according to his spokesman.

“He’s deeply disturbed by the way this was handled,” said Craig Stevens, a spokesman for Bodman.

The department head says he won’t testify about the screw-up in public — because of security concerns!