Jun 16, 2015

Hack of Security Clearance Data a National Threat Mark G Graff Two different cyber breaches of the federal Office of Personnel Management were made public last week. The first one - involving, at a minimum, the Social Security numbers of over 4 million past and present federal workers - got the most attention. The second breach will have far more serious long-term implications for U.S. national security: it means the Chinese government may have access to the personal secrets of the very people we rely on to hold China's military ambitions in check. Late last Friday, new reports surfaced about the additional, earlier loss at OPM. According to unnamed Federal officials speaking to the Washington Post and ABC News, Chinese attackers also stole copies of the highly confidential information supplied by anyone who has applied for a U.S. security clearance in the past several years. The national security implications of the second disclosure are staggering, and far-reaching. Read More >> related stories