From Ars Technica · · 1m 40s
Pentagon breach exposes 2.8 million military records
Hackers stole personnel files from the Defense Manpower Data Center over a monthslong compromise, marking the second major US government breach in weeks.
In brief
Hackers stole personnel files from the Defense Manpower Data Center over a monthslong compromise, marking the second major US government breach in weeks. The Pentagon disclosed that hackers compromised 2.8 million military personnel records starting last October, the second major US government breach in recent months…
Pentagon notifies 2.8 million on stolen records
The Pentagon is informing more than 2 million current and former military members that their personnel records were stolen during a monthslong compromise of one of its networks.
Stolen files contained sensitive personal data
The stolen records included Social Security numbers, names, addresses, sex, race, and occupational specialty. The occupational data could help foreign intelligence agencies identify high-value military personnel.
Breach started last October at Defense Manpower Data Center
Starting last October, hackers gained access to a system operated by the Defense Manpower Data Center, which collates Department of Defense personnel records.
FBI also breached by ShinyHunters ransomware group
Last month, the ransomware group ShinyHunters claimed it hacked FBI systems and stole records of thousands of current or former employees. Job titles in the records included ones related to investigating China or Russia.
FBI urges ShinyHunters members to surrender
FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Brett Leatherman called on ShinyHunters members to turn themselves in, saying the group's cyber defenses are no match against nation-state intelligence hackers.
“The longer you stay in this, the more we learn about you. You know how to find us, and we know how to find you. I suggest you reach out first while the choice is still yours.”
Breaches rival 2015 Office of Personnel Management hack
Together, the recent breaches represent one of the biggest potential espionage hauls since the two thousand fifteen hack of the US Office of Personnel Management, when China-state hackers obtained twenty-two point one million records.
The one thing
The Pentagon disclosed that hackers compromised 2.8 million military personnel records starting last October, the second major US government breach in recent months to expose sensitive employee data.
