US government data breach puts four million Federal employees at risk

It seems the United States government has issues with data security. The White House is reporting a hack has compromised personal data of federal personnel, and is one of the largest on record.

The breach reportedly affects four million current and former employees, and is believed to have originated in China. First spotted in April, the hack is said to have started last year, where intruders snagged social security numbers and various other “personal identifying information.”

Oddly enough, April was when Russian hackers were reported to have gained access to President Obama’s schedule, which showed his personal and private appointments. There’s no word on whether the two hacks are related.

Hackers targeted the Office of Personnel Management, which deals with government security clearances and federal employee records. The Department of Homeland Security and FBI are currently assessing the impact of the breach.

➤ Breach in a Federal Computer System Exposes Personnel Data [The New York Times]