OPM Hack: All Federal Workers (Possibly) Had Personal Data Stolen

Last week a massive data breach left the personal data on a reported four million federal employees compromised, but now word has it the hack was far larger in scope than previously revealed. In a recent letter it was stated that the personal data of every federal worker was stolen, as well as a large mass of details on former federal workers. The data taken is believed to be expansive, including things like health/life insurance info, pay data, military records, names, birth dates, and addresses, and more.

According to the Associated Press, American Federation of Government Employees President J. David Cox stated in a letter to Katherine Archuleta, the director of the Office of Personnel Management, that, "We believe ... the hackers are now in possession of all personnel data for every federal employee, every federal retiree, and up to one million former federal employees."

This belief is based upon internal OPM briefings, says the AP, and if true reveals a hack far larger in scope than what was originally reported. Even worse, the letter states that "we believe that Social Security numbers were not encrypted, a cybersecurity failure that is absolutely indefensible and outrageous."

Multiple Senators have blamed China for the hack, with Sen. Harry Reid having said that "the Chinese" were responsible. It isn't clear whether the Chinese government is responsible, though former House intelligence committee chairman Mike Rogers recently stated that China's intelligence agencies are working on putting together a database containing data on Americans. China has been implicated in many cyberattacks against US companies.

SOURCE: Associated Press