By The Way, 21 M Social Security Numbers Were Breached In That Massive Gov Hack

[Wilikon]

The  Office of Personnel Management is under fire again today after it was revealed hackers, allegedly Chinese, stole 21 million social security numbers during a massive data breach discovered last month (which officials originally said only impacted 4 million people). The social security numbers belong to Americans who have, or who currently are, working for the federal government.

This new information comes on the heels of news hackers were able to obtain extremely sensitive information, including classified background check information that can be used for blackmail, belonging to tens of millions of government employees. More bad news:

Here’s the kicker: despite today’s jaw-dropping news, the attackers were in our networks so long that it may still be a while before we figure out everything they stole. Most news coverage has centered on federal employees. But that’s an incomplete picture because it’s now clear many victims never worked for the federal government. When applying for a security clearance with the SF-86, applicants list their family members, neighbors, co-workers, foreign contacts, and even college roommates.

What this means is that not only do the hackers know lots of sensitive information about millions of government employees, they also know a great deal about many of the people they know and love. The implications for threats, intimidation, and blackmail are chilling. “Oh, you don’t want to sell out your country? OK, we get it. By the way, your parents still live at 2911 Rainbow Drive, right?”

China may now have the largest spy-recruiting database in history.




http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2015/07/10/another-hack-21-million-social-security-numbers-breached-n2023773?utm_source=BreakingOnTownhallWidget_4&utm_medium=story&utm_campaign=BreakingOnTownhall

[HigsonPP]

Earlier , when the internet was nowhere to be found ,there were thieves , but now in this age of internet , we have new bandits . The hackers , taking away millions , breaching security of the cyberspace.

[nonbody]

makes me sad that when anyone mentions the internet one of the first things that they think of is hackers, but i guess we take the good with the bad

[miki77miki]

So they hid the fact that 21 million social security numbers were stolen and they said only 4 million were? That seriously pisses me off.

[Wilikon]

makes me sad that when anyone mentions the internet one of the first things that they think of is hackers, but i guess we take the good with the bad

I thought the first thing 'they' think of was porn...

This is bad because even if you are not a federal agent, if your neighbor is one or, more obviously a close member of your family, your own private data may have been exposed, without your knowledge, because your loved one had to list you as a friend, lover, cousin, etc...

[Wilikon]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The embattled head of the government's personnel office abruptly stepped down Friday, bowing to mounting pressure following the unprecedented breach of private information her agency was entrusted to protect.

Katherine Archuleta had served as director of the federal Office of Personnel Management since November 2013. The former national political director for President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign, Archuleta came under scathing criticism amid revelations this year that hackers — widely believed to be China's government — had infiltrated her agency's databases as well as background-check records for millions who applied for U.S. security clearances.

On Thursday, Archuleta had rebuffed demands that she resign, declaring she was "committed to the work that I am doing." But her continued tenure at the agency grew untenable as calls from lawmakers — including members of Obama's own party — mushroomed. On Friday morning, she came to the White House to personally submit her resignation to Obama.


http://apnews.myway.com/article/20150710/us--government_hacked-f4ad3a508a.html