5.6 Million Fingerprints Stolen in OPM Hack
Posted by: Timothy Weaver on 09/25/2015 08:24 AM
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OPM press secretary Sam Schumach broke the bad news that although the previously announced number of those impacted by the hack overall – 21.5 million government workers - roughly 5.6 million federal employees may have had their fingerprints stolen.
The hack included Social Security numbers, dates of birth, employee performance records, employment history, employment benefits, resumes, school transcripts, along with military service documentation, and findings from interviews conducted by background investigators. Now add fingerprints.
However, OPM doesn't feel the stolen fingerprints will be used anytime soon. “Federal experts believe that, as of now, the ability to misuse fingerprint data is limited. However, this probability could change over time as technology evolves,” Schumach wrote.
The bad news includes the fact that OPM still has not begun mailing notification letters to those affected by the hack. “An interagency team will continue to analyze and refine the data as it prepares to mail notification letters to impacted individuals,” Schumach wrote.
OPM announced earlier this month that it will spend at least $150 million as it attempts to provide victims of the attack with credit monitoring, insurance, and other services over the next three years.
Source: ThreatPost
The hack included Social Security numbers, dates of birth, employee performance records, employment history, employment benefits, resumes, school transcripts, along with military service documentation, and findings from interviews conducted by background investigators. Now add fingerprints. However, OPM doesn't feel the stolen fingerprints will be used anytime soon. “Federal experts believe that, as of now, the ability to misuse fingerprint data is limited. However, this probability could change over time as technology evolves,” Schumach wrote.
The bad news includes the fact that OPM still has not begun mailing notification letters to those affected by the hack. “An interagency team will continue to analyze and refine the data as it prepares to mail notification letters to impacted individuals,” Schumach wrote.
OPM announced earlier this month that it will spend at least $150 million as it attempts to provide victims of the attack with credit monitoring, insurance, and other services over the next three years.
Source: ThreatPost
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