By the Numbers: Victims of the OPM Hack
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OPM now says it’s “highly likely” hackers made off with background check forms on all individuals who underwent a background investigation since 2000.
Obama administration officials Thursday provided new details about the total number of federal employees and contractors affected by a breach of Office of Personnel Management databases holding background check data on millions of national security personnel.
OPM now says it’s “highly likely” hackers made off with background check forms on every individual who underwent a background investigation since 2000.
The background check break-in struck:
21.5 million individuals affected total
19.7 million had applied for clearances
1.8 million nonapplicants, who were mostly spouses and co-habitants
1.1 million records included fingerprints (It's unclear if any of the victims were undercover agents or uniformed military personnel.)
The assailants copied:
- Social Security numbers
- residency and education histories
- employment history
- information about immediate family and other personal and business acquaintances
- health, criminal and financial history and other details
Earlier OPM personnel records breach:
4.2 million past and present federal employees had their Social Security numbers and other identity information taken
3.6 million people struck by the background check breach are also among this group
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