In the 2015 hack of data on 21.5 million federal employees through the Obama administration's Office of Personnel Management, what information was compromised?
Correct Answer
Per the Obama administration, this hack exposed "background investigation records," including Social Security numbers, financial histories, fingerprints, and "information about immediate family and personal and business acquaintances." It is "highly likely" that anyone who underwent a background check since 2000 was impacted. Since background reinvestigations are conducted "a minimum of every 5 years for a Top Secret level clearance and every 10 years for a Secret level clearance," the vast majority of people with active security clearances were exposed. The Obama administration has since taken no public action against the perpetrators.
DocumentationOffice of Personnel ManagementFAQs on Security ClearancesInaction Against Perpetrators