Washington ( CNN ) -- It might remind you of the new smash-hit James Bond movie `` Skyfall '' , in which the villains steal a device with top secret information on the identities of British agents . But in this case , sensitive data was left on a subway train . Law enforcement and congressional sources tell CNN a contractor working for the U.S. Secret Service accidentally left a pouch containing two computer backup tapes on a train in Washington 's Metrorail subway system . The tapes contained very sensitive Secret Service personnel and investigative information , and if accessed could be highly damaging , according to sources . The contractor was transporting the pouch from Secret Service headquarters in Washington to a now-closed data facility in Maryland . The sources say the contractor got off a Metro train , and later realized the pouch had been left behind . The Secret Service and the Metro police were contacted , and an aggressive search took place . According to one source , the tapes have not been recovered . The incident occurred nearly five years ago , in February 2008 . It is now the subject of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security 's Office of Inspector General , according to a congressional source . That office would not comment on why the investigation is taking place now , or on any other aspect of the investigation . Eric O'Neill , a former FBI counterespionage agent , said , `` Some of the information could cause lives to be at risk , if someone wanted to get at the families of a high-level government worker or someone they perceived as being someone who could work against , say , a terrorist cell . '' O'Neill is the agent who took down Robert Hanssen , an FBI official who spied for the Soviet Union and Russia in the 1980s and 1990s . The Secret Service says no lives were put at risk , and no fraud was committed as a result of the loss . But why would the agency put sensitive information on a removable set of tapes ? `` Part of the reason , I think ... is that in 2008 when this occurred , some of the information might have been on removable discs because that 's how they transported information , '' O'Neill told CNN . `` We 've leapt forward in technology since then . '' The Secret Service issued a statement acknowledging the loss of information . `` These back-up tapes were not marked or identified in any way and were protected by multiple layers of security. , '' it said . `` They could not be accessed without the proper equipment , applications and encoding . '' There is conflicting information on whether the tapes were encrypted . O'Neill , a partner at the security firm The Georgetown Group , says even if they were , `` this is 2008 encryption . And years later , our abilities to break encryption , our algorithms to do that , are much , much better . If those tapes were found , I 'm sure they could be cracked in moments . '' A Secret Service official did not provide the name of the individual who left the tapes on the train , or the name of the contracting firm . The official would not comment on whether the individual was disciplined , and said he is not sure if the agency still does business with the firm . O'Neill has his own questions about the incident . `` Why did a contractor have it ? '' he asks . `` Why was n't it chained to his wrist with a handcuff in a case that he would , the second he stood up , think ' I need to grab it ' ? '' Asked those questions by CNN , a Secret Service official did not answer directly , but instead referred to part of the agency 's statement saying , `` Subsequent to this incident the Secret Service instituted protocols to prevent this from happening again . '' CNN 's Mike Ahlers and Carol Cratty contributed to this report .
Secret Service information was left on D.C. subway system in 2008 . Contractor was sent the tapes . FBI says the information was safeguarded . Security expert questioned how tapes were being transported .