Hackers Stole 21.5 Million Social Security Numbers In Government Breac

[Spartan]

Last month, the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) learned it was the victim of a massive cyberattack--a breach that compromised personnel data of 4.2 million current and former Federal employees. That's really bad. While investigating the incident, the OPM found evidence of another attack: one that compromises the privacy of 21.5 million individuals from the organization's background check database. That's a lot worse.

 

According to the New York Times, the two attacks are separate, but related--though this second attack is obviously much bigger. In fact, if you've had a background check run through the OPM any time in the last 15 years, you're probably personally effected: the agency says any background investigation that occurred after 2000 is highly likely to be compromised. Potentially compromised data can include the Social Security Numbers, fingerprints (for 1.1 million of the aforementioned total), data from interviews conducted by background investigators and usernames and passwords used by applicants who filled out background check paperwork.

 

It's bad, and the OPM know is--but the agency is trying to mitigate the situation. The organization's cybersecurity page has been updated with a list of steps you can take to protect your identity, including warnings signs of identify theft, tips to update your passwords and avoid phishing scams, and what to do if you think you might be a victim. If you are affected by the hack, the OPM is willing to help--victims will be automatically be enrolled in 18 months of identity theft insurance, a identity restoration program and credit monitoring programs.

Think you might be affected? Check out the source link below.

[Spartan]

What Happened

OPM recently discovered two separate but related cyber-security incidents that have impacted the data of Federal government employees, contractors, and others:

1. In April 2015, OPM discovered that the personnel data of 4.2 million current and former Federal government employees had been stolen. This means information such as full name, birth date, home address and Social Security Numbers were affected. This number has not changed since it was announced by OPM in early June and you should have already received a notification if you were impacted.

2. While investigating this incident, in early June 2015, OPM discovered that additional information had been compromised: including background investigation records of current, former, and prospective Federal employees and contractors. OPM and the interagency incident response team have concluded with high confidence that sensitive information, including the Social Security Numbers (SSNs) of 21.5 million individuals, was stolen from the background investigation databases. This includes 19.7 million individuals that applied for a background investigation, and 1.8 million non-applicants, primarily spouses or co-habitants of applicants. Some records also include findings from interviews conducted by background investigators and approximately 1.1 million include fingerprints. Usernames and passwords that background investigation applicants used to fill out their background investigation forms were also stolen. Notifications for this incident have not yet begun.

   While background investigation records do contain some information regarding mental health and financial history provided by applicants and people contacted during the background investigation, there is no evidence that health, financial, payroll and retirement records of Federal personnel or those who have applied for a Federal job were impacted by this incident (for example, annuity rolls, retirement records, USA JOBS, Employee Express).

OPM and an interagency team from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have been investigating these incidents, and are working to put in place changes that will prevent similar thefts in the future.

[ravula]

Chinki galla pani thanam anta ga

[SUbba LIngam]

Repost