Unfortunately, the Associated Press reported recently that hackers were able to obtain Social Security numbers and personal data for every federal worker.
A worker union recently told the news source about the breach, which was reportedly carried out by Chinese hackers. It is the worst federal data breach to occur during the current administration, the source told the AP.
In addition to Social Security numbers, the information seized reportedly includes “military records, veterans’ status information, address, birth date, job history, pay history, health insurance, life insurance, pension information, age, gender and race.”
A letter released by the union, the American Federation of Government Employees to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), indicated incredible frustration. “We believe that Social Security numbers were not encrypted, a cybersecurity failure that is absolutely indefensible and outrageous,” the letter said.
If you are a federal employee and you fear that this could lead to theft, we wrote a blog post recently about what to do if your Social Security number is exposed to the public. The OPM indicated that it would provide government employees with credit and identity monitoring services for the next 18 months.
Speaking to an Attorney about a Social Security Issue
This is a regrettable situation for federal employees. We will continue to keep you posted about this story as more news comes out. This should not keep people from applying for federal benefits including Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), if they believe they are eligible.
Contact our attorneys if you need assistance applying for or appealing a benefit decision. Continue to follow our blog and social media pages for further Social Security news.
Troutman & Troutman, P.C. – Tulsa Social Security disability lawyers
