SF86 Data Captured In OPM Hack

Etherwalk writes: The security clearance process in the United States includes filling out the 127-page SF86 form, which includes things like the citizenships of all your relatives and housemates, foreign contacts and financial interests, foreign travel, psychological and emotional health, illegal drug use, and many other matters. The recent breach by the Chinese Government apparently included that information for all executive employees up to cabinet level. It's pretty much a gold mine for intelligence work and social engineering of any kind.

Comments

Bah! Media!

[quonsar]

So, what exactly do they mean by "breach". Someone got into some systems? Once there, did they take copies of data? That's a lot of data. Why didn't anyone see the mass exodus of gigabytes? The weasel worded breathless media reports are just dripping with a lack of specificity and reek of "omg phear the evil hackerz!" - they feel more designed to generate fear than inform. I view the whole thing with a jaundiced, skeptical eye.

Schadenfreude on so many levels

[sideslash]

The NSA has been hacking pretty much everybody in the world and their little sister, so nobody should be shocked when the same thing happens to us.

The real kicker is the perennial lecture from clueless politicians about how we should put back doors into all our private sector encryption so law enforcement can take a peek whenever it likes. Because our information will be safe with the government. *snort*

Re:If it is the Chinese

[rickb928]

Doubtful. The OPM has been negligent in this area for decades. And they are not the only agency.

A bottom - to - top review and security renovation is critically needed, and should cost closer to $100Bn than not if it's done right. Everything, from .mil and DOD to mainline agencies and even .gov customer service sites, everything.

And not a review. A complete reimagining and reinstallation.

Not going to happen in this Administration, as they fear any analysis.

The fiasco of our former Secretary of State running a private server at their own residence for official email is a example of the utter and total lack of actual information security in our government, a situation that (or should be) intolerable.

But, politics.