Fedweek

The computer hacking of personal information on federal employees held by OPM involves more people and more types of information than was originally announced, officials have said, while also continuing to say that the investigation is still ongoing and that more revelations may be yet to come. OPM initially had said that only limited categories of information were known to be involved—names, addresses, Social Security numbers, birthdate and several other categories—involving about 2.1 million current federal employees, about 1 million retirees and another 1 million former federal employees who separated for reasons other than retirement. However, it now appears that records of anyone who worked for the executive branch or even applied for a federal job over the last three decades or more may have been exposed, and that the data included information on veterans status, job titles, salary, awards, performance ratings, and disciplinary history and life insurance beneficiaries, and more. Also, officials have since revealed that a separate intrusion captured information on security clearance applications, which also involve basic identifying information along with email addresses and highly detailed information about the applicant’s family members, foreign travel, personal finances, and more. Unofficial estimates of the total range up to 14 million, which could include family members of current and former employees named in those records, although OPM says it cannot yet announce a number. Notification emails are going out through this week to those affected by the personnel records hack for whom agencies have work email addresses; others are being notified by mail. Separate notification emails have been prepared regarding the hack of the security clearance application records, although it’s uncertain when all of those will be sent.