Doing the happy dance

The missing VA laptop has been returned. From CNN-

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The government has recovered the stolen laptop computer and hard drive with sensitive data on up to 26.5 million veterans and military personnel.

The FBI said Thursday there is no evidence that anyone accessed Social Security numbers and other data on the equipment.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson, in announcing the recovery of the computer, said there have been no reports of identity theft stemming from the May 3 burglary at a VA employee's Maryland home.

The FBI, in a statement from its Baltimore field office, said a preliminary review of the equipment by its computer forensic teams "has determined that the data base remains intact and has not been accessed since it was stolen."

That's great news for all veterans(myself included). I'm not questioning the FBI's conclusions, but would it be possible for someone to have copied what was on this laptop and still leave no trace? Or even make a duplicate harddrive? Or perhaps hack in and not leave a trace?

Just wondering. If a computer geek reads this, please feel free to educate me.

Hat tip- Outside the Beltway,
Open Post- Bright & Early, Cao's Blog,